By Fatima Muraina

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The Ondo State Government has announced that it is maintaining a total of 80,000 trees planted in 2023 for the state’s economic benefit.

The Permanent Secretary of the Forestry Department in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Chief Segun Odusanya, stated this during the International Forestry Day celebration in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Represented by the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Oluwagbenga Akingbasote, Odusanya said the state is participating in the FAO GF7 project, a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) initiative aimed at increasing tree planting, which is also economically beneficial to the state.

He cautioned against illegal tree felling, warning that such activities pose a serious threat to the environment. He assured that the government is actively working to apprehend intruders in forest reserves.

Speaking on the significance of the International Forestry Day, Odusanya noted that the event was aimed at raising awareness about the importance of forests and trees for human survival.

He highlighted the numerous benefits derived from forests and forest resources, emphasizing their great importance to mankind.

Delivering a keynote lecture, Prof. Victor Adekunle of the Department of Forestry and Wood Technology at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), stressed the importance of preserving forests while ensuring food production.

“We do not necessarily need to destroy forests to produce food. Food can be cultivated sustainably without encroaching on designated forest reserves,” he said.

Adekunle criticized the increasing conversion of agricultural land into real estate, arguing that it contributes to food insecurity. He urged policymakers to allocate marginal lands for farming instead of encroaching on forests.

The chairman of the Forestry Association of Nigeria, Ondo State Chapter, Prof. Adedayo Adesoji, underscored the link between forest conservation and food quality.

“Many people do not realize that there is a very close link between forests and the food we eat. The food we ate 30 years ago was of higher quality than what we have today because forests have been greatly depleted. We should start thinking about planting more trees to improve the quality of our food,” Adesoji urged.

Similarly, the chairman of the Tree Planters Association of Nigeria, Ondo State chapter, Mr. Mufutau Adeola, identified insecurity as a major challenge for foresters.

He lamented the destruction of planted trees by herders and called on the government to formalize a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the association for better recognition and support.

The event, which took place in Akure, featured a road walk within the city to raise awareness of the crucial role forests and trees play in human survival.