Forest reserves key to tackling insecurity – NALDA

The National Agricultural Land Development Authority, NALDA, has unveiled a strategy to reclaim abandoned forest reserves across Nigeria and transform them into productive agricultural and environmental assets, describing the initiative as a major step towards tackling insecurity, expanding food production, creating jobs, and strengthening climate resilience.

The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NALDA, Cornelius Oluwasegun Adebayo, disclosed the plan while speaking with journalists during an inspection of the agency’s Green Hope Horticulture Project and the launch of the third phase of the programme in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State.

According to Adebayo, many forest reserves across the country have become safe havens for criminal elements because they have remained idle and unmanaged for years.

“We’re making efforts and working with state governments to take over some of the abandoned forest reserves. In Kwara, we’re partnering with the Association of Cashew Processors to develop plantations that will feed their factories,” he said.

He explained that the initiative is backed by one of NALDA’s statutory responsibilities, which covers the development of forest and grazing reserves. He added that the agency is working closely with state governments, private investors, and international partners to restore vast tracts of idle land to productive use.

According to him, the reclaimed reserves will host agroforestry projects, tree crop plantations, and carbon credit initiatives that will simultaneously boost agricultural production, protect the environment, and reduce criminal activities.

“Many of these forest reserves have remained abandoned for years, and that is why they have become hideouts for criminal elements. Our mandate includes the development of forest and grazing reserves, and we are designing programmes that will restore these lands to productive use.”

Adebayo cited Kwara State as one of the flagship projects, revealing that NALDA is collaborating with the state government and the Cashew Processors Association of Nigeria (CAPAN) to develop approximately 18,000 hectares into a large-scale cashew plantation.

He said the plantation would support backward integration by providing raw materials for local processing industries while creating employment opportunities for surrounding communities.

“In Kwara, we’re partnering with the Association of Cashew Processors to develop plantations that will feed their factories. This will create jobs, provide raw materials for local industries, and discourage criminal activities within the reserve.”

He added that reclaiming abandoned forest reserves would significantly reduce the spaces available for criminal operations because the lands would be actively occupied, cultivated, and managed.

“Reclaiming and developing forest reserves will not only strengthen agricultural production but also reduce the spaces available for criminal operations by ensuring the lands are actively occupied and managed.”

Beyond security and food production, Adebayo said the forest reserve initiative forms part of NALDA’s broader environmental sustainability agenda.

He announced that the authority plans to plant more than one million trees by 2030 across its horticulture projects nationwide to restore degraded landscapes, improve climate resilience, and promote low-carbon agriculture.

“By the year 2030, NALDA is committed to planting over one million trees across our horticulture projects nationwide. This is our contribution towards building climate resilience, restoring degraded landscapes, and supporting Nigeria’s commitment to environmental sustainability and low-carbon agricultural development.”

Adebayo noted that the climate initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by integrating environmental sustainability with food security and rural economic development.

“We are combining agricultural development with environmental sustainability and economic empowerment because they are all interconnected,” he said. “When idle lands become productive, communities become safer, more prosperous, and more resilient.”

Chairman of Odogbolu Local Government, Tunde Diya, commended NALDA for selecting the council as one of the programme’s beneficiaries, noting that the local government had already secured about 120 hectares of farmland for women and youths to boost food production and agribusiness development.

Also speaking, the Special Assistant (Technical) to the NALDA Executive Secretary, Olusegun Owolabi, said the open-field irrigation farming system would enable beneficiaries to cultivate vegetables such as tomatoes and different varieties of pepper while reducing post-harvest losses through the provision of modern farming facilities.

Forest reserves key to tackling insecurity – NALDA