The Nation Newspaper

Tag: drought

  • Sokoto to build 1,000 tube wells to tackle drought

    Sokoto to build 1,000 tube wells to tackle drought

    The Sokoto State government has said it will build 1,000 tube wells to provide enough water to farm lands for the 2018 irrigation season. Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, at the weekend, said: “The water levels in our dams are very low and will not be enough to serve farmers for the dry season farming. To overcome that challenge, experts suggested we seek for alternative ways of watering our farms.

    “In that regard, we decided to build 1,000 tube wells across the state. This effort will help us meet our target for the 2018 cropping season.”

    Tambuwal added that the government has procured five supper tiller machines, 50 tomato grinding machines, 40 rice hand-held harvesters and five mini tractors, at N64 million, to support farming activities in the state.

  • Expert advocates tree planting, others to remedy drought

    An ecologist, Mr. Habib Omotosho, says increased awareness campaign and adoption of land protection, as well as tree planting initiatives will fast-track efforts to deal with drought and desertification.

    Omotosho, who is the national coordinator, Environmental Advancement Initiatives, an NGO, in an interview News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said:

    “Remedies to drought and desertification problems involve public awareness, protection of marginal lands, planting of indigenous tree and shrub species, sustainable agricultural practices and use of alternative energy sources.’’

    He said increased public awareness of the dangers of drought and desertification at local and national levels was vital in efforts to tackle the environmental challenges of drought and desertification.

    According to him, the organisation of awareness campaigns is probably the cheapest means of combating desertification because it serves as a preventive measure.

    ”People should be made to fully understand the causes and consequences of desertification, to stem the growing menace of desertification.

    ”The public awareness campaigns should also aim at eliciting actions that would deal with some of the consequences of the environmental phenomenon and prevent further degradation of the soil,’’ he said.

  • Drought kills 100 wild horses in Namibia

    The Namibia Wild Horses Foundation has said over 100 wild horses roaming the Namibia Desert in the south of Namibia have so far died of a prolonged drought that began in 2013.

    It said that there were about 160 wild horses at the moment, but these, the foundation said, are in danger of being killed by spotted hyenas because they become easy prey in their weakened state by day.

    According to a statement by the foundation, the drought left little grass in the horses’ range while fences also restrict these revered animals from moving further inland to areas that received scattered rainfall.

    The foundation that was founded in 2012 is appealing for funds to buy lucern and provide water before it gets too late.

    “As much of Namibia is dry, grass will most likely have to be bought from South Africa, which is a costly affair,’’ the foundation said.

  • Bright Ejike ends goals drought

    Bright Ejike ends goals drought

    Heartland leading scorer Bright Ejike ended his long-drawn goals drought on Sunday when he helped Heartland beat Giwa 3-2 in a Week 36 game of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

    Heartland now have 53 points from 36 games, while Giwa have 60 points from same number of matches.

    Ejike’s last goal before the Week 36 game was in the Week 26 1-0 win over Warri Wolves.

    Bright Ejike broke the deadlock in the ninth minute when he tapped home from Emeka Ogbugh’s delivery.

  • ‘70m affected by desertification, drought’

    Over 70 million people living in the North have experienced the negative impact of drought and desertification directly or indirectly, the Federal Government has said.

    The government has embarked on tree planting in 11 states to curb desertification.

    The Director-General, National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), Mr. Goni Ahmed, who spoke during a visit to Sokoto State by members of the agency, said six-kilometre of shelterbelt, two hectares of orchards and one hectare of community nursery were established at Unguwar Lalle in Sabon Gari Local Government.

    Ahmed, in a statement in Abuja at the weekend, said Sokoto was one of the states chosen as a focal point for the GGW project under the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO).

    He said desertification could plunge the state into environmental degradation and increased poverty if not tackled.

    The director thanked Governor Aminu Tambuwal for his support to the agency by ensuring that a bill for the creation of NAGGW was passed when he was the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    He solicited the support of the state government in the provision of land for the GGW programme and the establishment of state and local government committee in line with the GGW Act.

    Tambuwal hailed the agency, saying he was impressed by the work by the agency in the state.

    He said the project was a direct benefit for the people, adding that the state would support and embrace the programme.

    According to him, the state re-enacted a bill to ensure the control of desertification before the agency was created.

     

  • Ginepri ends ATP drought

    Former world number 15 Robby Ginepri claimed his first ATP World Tour win in over a year to advance into the second round of the BB&T Atlanta Open.

    Ginepri, a semi-finalist at the 2005 US Open, has tumbled to 281 in the men’s singles standings but claimed his first victory of 2014 by edging past Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky 7-6 (7/3), 3-6 6-0.

    It marked the 31-year-old American’s first triumph since he reached the quarter-finals of the US Clay Court Championship in April 2013 and his reward has earned him a clash with top seed John Isner in the second round.

    Seeded pair Denis Istomin and Marinko Matosevic made light work of their opponents on Tuesday.

    Sixth seed Istomin sauntered past American lucky loser Rajeev Ram 6-1 ,6-4, while Matosevic, seeded eighth, crushed Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic 6-0, 6-2 in just 43 minutes.

    Tim Smyczek thumped his fellow American Ryan Harrison by the same scoreline and Jack Sock gave the home fans more reason for cheer by breezing past Colombian Alejandro Gonzalez 6-2, 6-4.

    Dutch lucky loser Thiemo de Bakker cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 triumph over Canadian qualifier Steven Diez – a day after retiring againt the same player in qualifying.

  • New drought, desertification control projects for 12 states

    The Ecological Fund Office (EFO)has approved a new drought and desertification control projects in 12 northern arid states.

    The states are: Adamawa, Gombe, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe and Borno.

    The new project, which is expected to cost N480 million, is being executed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

    A statement by the Fund’s Deputy Director, Press, Mr. Tolu Makinde, yesterday, in Abuja, stated the project was originally approved in 2006 to ameliorate drought and desertification in the 11 frontline states.

    According to him, the initial project, which should have been completed within 90 days, could not take off until it was revisited and re-scoped this year.

    The Permanent Secretary of EFO, Engineer Goni Sheikh, reminded contractors and consultants approved for the project that ecological problems are dynamic and seasonal with propensity to get worse if delayed or ignored.

    He said: “The best way to solve such problems is to promptly address them, else they fester and get worse. Work assiduously to ensure their early completion.”

    The Director of Drought and Desertification Control Department, EFO, Mr. Kole Oluwatuyi, advised all stakeholders to meet and agree on ways to move the project forward.