The Federal Government and partners have been urged to take decisive action to protect and restore rangelands, safeguard pastoralist communities’ livelihoods, and enhance climate resilience in dryland regions.

The call was made in a communiqué issued at the conclusion of the 5th International Conference on Drylands.

The conference, themed ‘Promoting Sustainability and Resilience of Rangelands: Present and Future Outlooks’, was organised by the Centre for Dryland Agriculture at Bayero University in Kano and took place from May 6 to 8, 2025.

The three-day conference brought together over 300 participants, including scientists, researchers, policymakers, development partners, and private sector representatives.

The articipants urged governments to develop and implement comprehensive, participatory, and evidence-based legal frameworks prioritizing sustainable rangeland management.

These frameworks should recognise, protect, and support traditional knowledge and practices of pastoralists, ensuring equitable access to land and natural resources.

Secure land tenure and fair resource governance are crucial for promoting peaceful coexistence and preventing land-use conflicts.

The conference recognised the critical role of women and youths from pastoralist communities in driving resilience and sustainability.

The conference also called for increased investment in capacity building, active participation in decision-making processes, and support for income-generating opportunities and sustainable resource development projects.

The conference emphasised the need to scale up public and private sector investments in climate change adaptation strategies, sustainable land management technologies, and diversified livelihood initiatives.

These investments should be complemented by demand-driven research and the promotion of innovations that integrate indigenous knowledge with modern scientific approaches.

The conference urged international development partners and organisations to align their resources with the conference outcomes and enhance regional and global cooperation, particularly on transboundary issues.

The participants also advocated deeper engagement with global initiatives such as the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) and the Africa Soil Initiative.

The conference concluded that the alarming degradation of rangelands, threats to pastoralist livelihoods, and fragility of dryland ecosystems demand urgent, collaborative, and sustained action.

The participants emphasised that achieving healthy rangelands was key to food security, ecological balance, and peaceful coexistence.

The conference brought together participants from 11 African countries, 13 Nigerian states, 17 academic institutions, and several international organisations.

It created a rich platform for knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, and regional collaboration.( NAN)

From Anthony Nwachukwu, Lagos

Dairy brand, Peak Milk has boosted Nigerians’ accessibility to its quality dairy nutrition range with the introduction of the budget-friendly Peak Mini – a smaller, more affordable pack from its signature Peak Evaporated Milk.

Unveiling the dairy brand, the producer, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, restated its commitment to providing high-quality dairy products to consumers as it has been doing in over 70 years in Nigeria.

According to WAMCO, the Peak Mini evaporated milk will provide affordable breakfast within the reach of every home with a budget-friendly nutritional breakfast with the same rich, creamy taste and high-quality.

Senior Brand Manager of Peak Milk, Moninnuola Kassim, stated that with Peak Mini, the company is “directly addressing the challenges many Nigerians face daily, one of which is affordability.

“Our smaller, affordable Peak Mini packs ensure that quality dairy nutrition remains within reach for everyone, regardless of income level.”

According to her, “many consumers have had to compromise on nutrition when considering costs, but with Peak Mini, that trade-off is no longer necessary.

The brand, Kassim said, maintains the same premium taste and nutritional benefits in a convenient and cost-effective package, and whether for breakfast cereals, tea or other meals, this innovation ensures that consumers no longer need to choose between quality and affordability.

According to her, FrieslandCampina WAMCO believes that every Nigerian deserves access to quality, nutritious dairy products,” and “Peak Mini is another step towards fulfilling that mission by providing a practical solution that meets the needs of everyday consumers.”

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The Jos Water Services Corporation (JWSC) has said that the World Bank fund received would be used to boost water supply to Bukuru and environs in Jos South Local Government Area.

Mr Apollos Samchi, the Managing Director of the corporation, said that N1.7 billion would be expended on the rehabilitation of water treatment plant, over head steel tank and laying of pipes to homes of consumers.

Samchi, who disclosed this on Friday in Jos, during a two-day capacity building workshop, said that the projects were expected to be completed in four months.

Reports says that the workshop organised for contractors has at its theme: “Implementation of Environmental and Social Management Plans for Projects in Jos South.

The MD said that the projects would ensure steady provision of potable water to residents in Gyel and Kurgiya in Jos South Local Government Area.

He said the treatment plant when rehabilitated would pump out 5,000 cubic litres of water daily.

The MD further stated that the reticulation exercise would cover residents who weren’t initially connected to public water supply in the area.

Samchi said that the essence of the workshop was to ensure that the contractors were trained to develop adequate measures and controls to minimise and mitigate potential environmental and social risks that could adversely affect the project implementation.

He called on all the contractors handling the projects to ensure that they adhered to the environmental and safety standards and deliver within the specified timeframe.

In his remarks, Mr Jonathan Malann, the Plateau Project Coordinator, Sustainable Urban, Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene programme (SURWASH), also advised contractors to adhere to the environmental and safety standards as provided by the World Bank.

The Federal Government had received $700m financing from the World Bank to ensure that all its people have access to sustainable and safely managed WASH services.

The seven participating states are Plateau, Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Katsina, and Kaduna.(NAN)