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Nigeria: Women Reclaim Lands Through Mangrove Restoration
2 Oct
Summary
- Women are restoring mangrove forests devastated by oil pollution.
- The initiative aims to heal wetlands and restore community livelihoods.
- Over 400 women trained, restoring 3 million mangroves since 2018.
Decades of oil pollution in Nigeria's Ogoniland have devastated mangrove forests and community livelihoods. Martha Agbani, inspired by her activist mother and the historical execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa, founded the Lokiaka Community Development Centre in 2003. This initiative trains women to restore these vital ecosystems, aiming to heal the wetlands and rebuild a sense of ownership.
Since 2018, Agbani's centre has trained over 400 women, who have planted 3 million mangrove saplings and reclaimed 190 hectares. This hands-on activism focuses on empowering women to independently manage restoration efforts, ensuring communities regain control over their environment. Their work is crucial as the mangrove ecosystem, vital for fish, carbon storage, and coastal protection, supports millions of livelihoods.
Efforts include careful planting techniques, like using spacing sticks, to ensure long-term success. The restoration is not just about replanting but about bringing back biodiversity, as evidenced by the return of fish and crabs. This community-led approach seeks to reverse the ecological damage and economic losses caused by over 500,000 barrels of oil spills in under 20 years.
