What does the acronym “ACReSAL” stand for?

Answer: – The acronym “ACReSAL” stands for Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes.
It is a World Bank assisted Project aimed at addressing the challenges of land degradation and climate Change in Northern Nigeria on a multi-dimensional
scale.

What does the vision, mission, and Project Development objective of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes look like?

Answer:-

Mission
To address environmental challenges arising from Climate Change and poor land-use practices in Northern Nigeria,

Vision
To have strong practices and policies on ecological restoration and a climate change-resilient community

Project Development Objective (PDO)

Answer: -The PDO is to increase the implementation of sustainable landscape management practices in targeted watersheds in northern Nigeria and strengthen Nigeria’s long-term enabling environment for integrated climate-resilient landscape management.

What is ACReSAL Project Impact?

Answer: -The ACReSAL Project will help restore 1 million hectares of degraded land in the northern part of the country. This will contribute to the Federal Government of Nigeria’s objective/commitment of restoring four million hectares of degraded land set for broader landscape restoration by 2030. The Project will also help reduce the vulnerability of millions of extremely poor people in northern Nigeria, strengthening their own role in line with achieving environmental sustainability.

What are the Components of ACReSAL Project?

Answer: – The components of the Project are as follows:
Component A. Dryland Management:-This component will implement integrated watershed management planning and addresses the challenges of large-scale watershed degradation in northern Nigeria. It will support the following subcomponents: Strategic Watershed Planning, Landscape Investments, and Special Ecosystems restoration.

Component B. Community Climate Resilience:- Most of the challenges of dryland management are to be found at the local level, where they constitute the day-to-day reality of communities and farmers. Communities need support to be more resilient and communities and households need targeted investments to put new approaches into effect. In targeted micro-watersheds, this component will support Community strengthening and Community Investments.

Component C. Institutional Strengthening and Project Management:- This component includes investments to improve the enabling institutional and policy
foundation for multisectoral integrated landscape management and climate resilience, as well as support
to project management. It will include the following subcomponents: Institutional and Policy Strengthening and Project Management.

Component D. Contingent Emergency Response Component:- A Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) is a financing mechanism available to Borrowers in Investment Project
Financing (IPF) operations to enable quick deployment of uncommitted funds to respond to an eligible
crisis or emergency.

What is the duration for ACReSAL Project Implementation?

Answer: – The Project duration is Six (6) years

When was ACReSAL project approved by the World Bank Board of Directors?

Answer: – ACReSAL Project was approved by the World Bank Board of Directors on 16th December 2021, ACReSAL became effective in June 2022 and the Closing Date is 31-Mar-2028.

Where is the Project being implemented?

Answer:- The Project is being implemented in the 19 Northern States of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

What are the Ministries responsible for ACReSAL Project Implementation?

Answer: – The Federal Ministry of Environment is the lead implementing ministry for the project, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources (FMWR) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD)

Question: What is the governing structure or Institutional arrangements of the ACReSAL Project at the Federal and state levels?

Answer: The Federal Steering Committee (FSC) and Federal Technical Committee (FTC) provide overall policy and technical guidance respectively. The FSC is chaired by the Minister of Environment, co-chaired by the Ministers of Agriculture and Rural Development and Water Resources, while the FTC is chaired by the Permanent Secretary of Environment with representations of Directors from Agric, Water Resources, and other relevant MDAs

The Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) is responsible for the overall supervisory activities of the Project and is headed by the National Project Coordinator with support from MDAs.

A State Steering Committee (SSC) and State Technical Committee (STC) also provide overall policy and technical guidance respectively. The SSC is chaired by State Commissioners for Environment, co-chaired by the Commissioners of Agriculture and Water Resources, and includes Permanent Secretaries of Finance, Works, Women Affairs, and other sector representatives. The STC is chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Environment and includes relevant Directors of Agriculture, Water, and other sector representatives.

A State Project Management Unit (SPMU) is responsible for the overall supervisory activities of the Project at the State level. The SPMU is headed by the State Project Coordinator

At the community level, a Local Government Project Management Committee (LGPMC) chaired by the Director of Personnel Management (DPM), supports inclusive participation and promotes local ownership of project activities.

What are the roles of partners in the project implementation?

Answer: – The role of partners is critical to promote multisectoral coordination and cooperation for building climate resilience and better management of dryland natural resources across northern Nigeria. Federal and State agencies responsible for environment, agriculture, and water management will be the lead implementing agencies, through the state project management units are responsible for day-to-day intervention, and works with technical support from the World Bank and Federal Project Management Unit. The community actors/stakeholders are also critical in terms of ownership and sustainability of activities/interventions.

Who are the project beneficiaries?

Answer: – ACReSAL interventions will improve land use planning, restoration of degraded land, increase food productivity and help a wide range of communities adapt to evolving dryland conditions with an end target of 3.4 million direct project beneficiaries. ACReSAL will specifically target the inclusion of vulnerable and marginalized groups, including women, youth, the elderly, persons with disabilities, internally displaced people, and ethnic and religious minorities. Importantly, farmers and host communities across the 19 participating states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will benefit immensely from the project. This will help ensure their full participation in community-level structures established or supported under the project. Government institutions at federal and state levels and other partners from governmental and nongovernmental agencies will be beneficiaries of the institutional modernization and policy support investments.

What are the Project’s Social Media Handles?

Answer:-Facebook Account………Gombe State ACReSAL
Facebook page…………… Gomb State ACReSAL
Instagram………..………….gombestateacresal
Twitter…………………….@GAcresal

What is ACReSAL Project Slogan

Answer:-The slogan of the ACReSAL Project is “Greening the environment, Saving lives”