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Curbing desertification in the North with date palms
Written by Ojoma Akor
The of Nigeria
Desertification is fast stealing and threatening many a livelihood in the affected areas. In some communities, it is so serious that there is poor agricultural yield, wells and other water sources are drying up and people are beginning to leave for fear of being swallowed by sand dunes.
Date palms is an important food crop and establishing its plantations in these areas will not only fight the environmental problem of desertification but will also improve agricultural and economic activities thereby improving the life of the people.
According Audu, E.B in his piece “Fuel wood consumption and desertification in Nigeria” in the International Journal of Science and Technology” published in January this year, it is estimated that more than 30 million people in Nigeria live under the hardship of desertification.