The Nigerian state of Katsina is raising 2.5 million seedlings each year to combat desertification and play its part in the Great Green Wall initiative.

An article in the Leadership, Nigeria, says the seedlings which are raised in nurseries across the state are given freely to farmers.

In Katsina, the state has committed to planting 28 kilometres of shelter belts, strengthening the forestry department and employing forest guards.

The Great Green Wall was initially planned as a revegetated strip of land stretching from Djibouti in the east of Africa to Dakar in the west. It now involves 11 countries working together to combat land degradation and restore native plant life.

Minister of Environment, Laurentia Laraba Mallam, said the Great Green Wall promotes agroforestry and the planting of economic trees as well as supporting efficiency in the use of fuel-wood and alternatives.

Read the full story: Desertification: Katsina Raises 2.5Million Seedlings Yearly

See also: Great Green Wall is more than just planting trees