Communique: Stakeholder's Dialogue on Adaptation and Conservation Policies in Kano State
Background
Climate change as a threat multiplier continues to pose severe social, environmental, economic and security risks to the people, livelihoods and socio-economic welfare of Kano State. One such climate-induced risk is when in 2022, flooding destroyed over 14,000 farmlands and killed 23 people in Kano state. In addition to this, the increased frequency of irregular weather changes has intensified the risk of flash floods and agricultural droughts in some regions which have led to fluctuations in crop yield, climate-induced migration, exposed communities to food security challenges, and resulted in the destruction of essential infrastructures such as schools, health and WASH facilities.
Human activities such as logging, rapid urbanization and unsustainable agricultural practices have exacerbated climate impacts on the local community's livelihoods and economies, as well as the state’s adaptive capacity to cope with climate shocks. From 2001 to 2021, Kano lost 0.226ha of tree cover, equivalent to an 8.6% decrease in tree cover since 2000, and 56.9t of CO2e emissions. This shows the level of deforestation occurring within just a decade and its significance to the environmental resources of the state. Additionally, in 2005 alone, Kano lost 226 mha of tree cover, equivalent to 56.9t of CO2 emissions.
Kano is one of the 11 frontline states currently experiencing a steady incursion of desertification and droughts in Nigeria. This raises great concern as Kano, like other Northern states has a huge agrarian and pastoral population that solely depends on ecosystem resources such as land and water for food and herd production, and sustenance of their livelihoods.
To address this challenge, the Kano State Government will need to take a multifaceted approach to work with key stakeholders from local communities, nonprofits and civil society organizations, and international organizations to develop a holistic climate action plan towards addressing climate change, and strengthening resilience/adaptation measures.
Against this backdrop, stakeholders convened at the dialogue on adaptation and conservation policies to examine the impacts of climate change in Kano state, review the State’s efforts in addressing the crisis and discuss proposals and recommendations that offer possible pathways to building a climate-resilient Kano state.
