UNDP GEF-SGP Project Boosts Sustainable Agriculture in Enjema, Kogi
Stakeholders and beneficiaries at the close-out event of the UNDP GEF-SGP-supported sustainable agriculture project in Enjema, Ankpa LGA, Kogi State.
Enjema Community in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State has benefited from new sustainable livelihood initiatives following the completion of a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-funded project aimed at addressing land degradation and climate change in coal mining communities.
The project, implemented by the Climate and Sustainable Development Network (CSDevNet) under the UNDP Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP), focused on sustainable agriculture and community-led environmental action in Enjema District.
The development was disclosed in Lokoja on Wednesday at the Project Knowledge Management Forum and official close-out event for the project, titled, “Addressing Land Degradation and Climate Change through Sustainable Agriculture in Coal Mining Communities in Enjema District, Ankpa LGA, Kogi State.”
The forum, which also featured a high-level policy dialogue, brought together government officials, development partners, traditional institutions, civil society organisations and community beneficiaries to review the project’s implementation and discuss plans for sustaining its outcomes.
National Network Coordinator of CSDevNet, Mr Steve Abuh, said the event was not merely to mark the end of the project but to examine lessons from the initiative and the role of community ownership in addressing environmental challenges and improving livelihoods.
Abuh disclosed that the project commenced in October 2025 and ended in May 2026.
According to him, the intervention demonstrated that investments in climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, sustainable aquaculture and community institutions could contribute to restoring degraded landscapes while strengthening rural livelihoods.
He identified the establishment of demonstration farms, Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), a solar-powered water system and the Community Green Action Plan (CoGAP) as some of the foundations created for the community to build upon after the end of project funding.
“The work carried out in Enjema demonstrates that environmental challenges are best addressed when communities are not simply beneficiaries, but active partners in identifying problems, implementing solutions and shaping their own priorities,” Abuh said.
He described the development of the CoGAP as particularly significant because it provides a platform for sustaining community priorities and strengthening environmental governance.
Abuh also stressed the importance of linking community-level experiences with public policy to sustain and scale successful environmental initiatives across Kogi State and beyond.
The National Coordinator of UNDP GEF-SGP Nigeria, Dr Ibironke Favour Olubamise, said the programme was established on the principle that lasting environmental solutions are more sustainable when communities are empowered to lead the process.
Olubamise described the experience in Enjema District as an example of the principle in practice, adding that the CoGAP could serve as a framework for sustaining environmental action and informing similar interventions in other mining-affected communities in Nigeria.
She commended CSDevNet, the Kogi State Government, Ankpa Local Government Area, traditional institutions, community members and other partners for their collaboration, while urging beneficiaries to take ownership of the project outcomes.
Representing Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Kogi State Commissioner for Environment and Ecological Management, Engr Olusegun Joseph, commended CSDevNet, UNDP and other partners for implementing the project.
Joseph highlighted measures undertaken by the state government in flood mitigation, climate change resilience and erosion control, as well as efforts to regulate mining activities for the benefit of residents.
The Chairman of Ankpa Local Government Area, Hon Ademu Yahaya, also commended the partners for selecting Enjema as a beneficiary community.
Other stakeholders at the event included the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Muktar Atima; representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture and Health; the Director-General of the Kogi Climate Change Agency; non-governmental organisations; traditional and community leaders; and beneficiaries from Enjema District.
Some beneficiaries, including Mr Yakubu Sule, Mr Umar Othman, Hajia Habibat Yusuf and Mr Abubakar Yahaya, commended CSDevNet and UNDP GEF-SGP for the intervention.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Othman said pollution associated with coal mining had affected rivers and farmlands, making farming more difficult for residents and forcing some to travel long distances to cultivate land belonging to others.
He said the project introduced residents to alternative agricultural activities, including fish farming, maize production, sack farming and palm tree planting.
“For the first time in the history of Enjema community, we never knew that fish can be reared in the house,” Othman said, explaining that residents had traditionally depended on rivers for fishing before pollution affected the water sources.
He added that children in the community were beginning to see fish farming as a viable occupation, while sack farming had reduced the need to travel long distances in search of fertile farmland.
According to him, residents could now transport fertile soil to their backyards to cultivate crops such as yam, while the introduction of palm tree planting had also generated interest within the community.
Othman appealed to the Kogi State Government to enforce the reclamation of mined lands by mining companies to restore the affected areas for agricultural use.
He expressed appreciation to CSDevNet, GEF-SGP, UNDP and the state government for supporting the project and providing the community with alternative livelihood opportunities.
About Post Author
