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
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