Nigeria Partners UK Bio-tech Firm to Tackle Desertification

•Shettima welcomes £250,000 technology donation to drive afforestation

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

Nigeria will soon enter into a partnership with United Kingdom’s Zander Corporation to transform agricultural practices and restore degraded lands in the country’s most vulnerable ecological zones.

This is just as Vice President Kashim Shettima stressed the federal government remains steadfast in its commitment to afforestation as a key strategy in combating desertification, promoting sustainable land use, and ensuring long-term agricultural productivity.

The Vice President disclosed this on Thursday during a meeting with the management of the bio-technology company led by Lord Raymond Benedict Asquith, the 3rd Earl of Oxford, and Asquith OBE, a member of the UK House of Lords at the State House, Abuja. 

According to him: “There is a critical intersection between innovative technology and efforts at combating desertification and agricultural transformation in this country. 

“As a nation committed to afforestation and sustainable land use, we recognise the value of partnerships that introduce cutting-edge technologies like those from Zander Corporation”.

As part of the collaboration, Zander Corporation has donated £250,000 worth of afforestation technology products to Nigeria. 

Shettima noted the need to maximise the potential of the five-hectare pilot project, suggesting diversification into vegetable production and tree crops such as cashew, which has a high global demand.

“We are in a unique position to take advantage of this opportunity. I want to assure you and your team of the federal government’s support. Sokoto State has already demonstrated commitment, and I believe that Borno and Katsina governments will also embrace this initiative,” the Vice President said. 

Shettima acknowledged Lord Oxford’s commitment to training Nigerian agronomists in best practices for implementing the technology, adding that “there is an incestuous relationship between ecology and economy in the northern part of this country. This innovative technology by Zander Corporation can be our saving grace.”

Earlier in his remarks, Lord Oxford reaffirmed Zander Corporation’s dedication to Nigeria’s agricultural transformation, explaining that the company has been in the country for over 12 years.

“We have made a donation of our products to Nigeria for deployment in several northern states to demonstrate our capabilities and the remarkable results that can be achieved in agricultural and environmental projects”.

He explained that the corporation had recorded successes in desert states such as Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Libya, and Southern Spain, where its technology has significantly reduced irrigation costs and established sustainable vegetation in arid soils. 

According to Lord Oxford: “We see Nigeria as a prime location for our work. The country is ready for the kind of results we have delivered elsewhere. Our operations in the Middle East and North Africa have proven effective in reducing irrigation costs and enhancing agricultural sustainability. 

“We also see opportunities for manufacturing our products in Nigeria, reducing costs, and creating employment. Nigeria’s vast land resources make it an ideal location for this kind of investment. We are excited about the potential of this partnership to transform the landscape and the economy.”

Also speaking, Director-General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), Saleh Abubakar, confirmed the agency’s commitment to implementing Zander Corporation’s technology.

“We have established a committee to oversee the implementation of these products, which have proven highly effective in building resilience during the pilot programme.

“We are piloting this project in Katsina, Borno, and Sokoto states, with five hectares of land already prepared for deployment.

“We are committed to ensuring that the initiative directly benefits the communities affected by desertification,” he said.