According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), The Gambia has lost nearly 100,000 hectares of its forests since 1998. This deforestation exacerbates the drought and undermines the livelihoods of the people. To reverse the situation, the municipality of Kanifing, 12 km from the capital Banjul, is launching a reforestation campaign to plant 190,000 trees.
“This project will contribute to the government’s initiatives to adapt and reduce the effects of climate change. It will also allow for significant carbon dioxide capture, pollution reduction, as well as the creation of a healthier and more pleasant environment,” promises Talib Ahmed Bensouda, the Mayor of Kanifing.
The operation was launched in the Fajara Barracks where 10,000 trees were planted with the help of the defence forces. “There is a growing need for plant cultivation for environmental preservation, as trees provide oxygen, serve as food and windbreaks among many other benefits. That is why people need to work towards protecting the environment by growing new plants that will replace the dead ones,” says Kuluteh Manneh, the Commander of the Military Camp.
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The initiative is being implemented with 100,000 euros in funding from the European Union (EU) and the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC). The reforestation operation is being launched as part of the Kanifing Environmental Transformation Programme (KETP) implemented in partnership with Peterborough City Council (PCC) in the UK and the Opportunity Peterborgh economic development agency.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi