President Mamadou Tandja of Niger has urged the public to plant trees and maintain them so as to help curb desertification, PANA reported. More than half the country is already desert and that area is growing. Deforestation and desertification are exacerbated by the use of wood for fuel in more than 90 percent of households. Reforestation programmes were implemented during a major drought in the 1970s, but many have failed due to lack of public involvement, poor supervision and unfavorable weather, PANA reported.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
Share this article
