Côte d'Ivoire/ People encouraged to practice agro-forestry to combat desertification and drought

Audrey N'gouan, Côte d'Ivoire's representative to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought, encouraged people to practice agro-forestry to combat desertification and drought.

She launched this appeal on the occasion of the coupled celebration of the International Day for Biodiversity and the Fight against Desertification and Drought, organized on Tuesday June 17, 2025 in M'Bahiakro around the theme: "Restoring the earth, protecting life, sustainable solutions to desertification and biodiversity erosion".

During a panel discussion she co-hosted with M'Bahiakro's Departmental Directors of Water and Forests and Agriculture at the town hall, Ms. N'gouan deplored Ms. N'gouan deplored the devastating impact of human activity on the environment through extensive and intensive farming, mining activities including gold panning, and bush fires. She advised the adoption of sustainable farming practices, such as agro-forestry, which combines crops and tree plantations, to ensure that the earth is preserved for present and future generations.

"The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity came into force in 1997.to have effective and efficient policies to prevent drought and be more resilient to the effects of advanced drought", explained the environmental protection expert.

The departmental director of water and forests, Lieutenant-Colonel Dan Vawa Gilbert Stéphane, exploring the challenges of protecting flora and fauna, and ecological issues, for his part called on populations to commit to biodiversity, in the face of the ecological crisis,

The departmental director of agriculture, Diango Koffi Gédéon, who dwelt particularly on the local aspect of the subject, pointed out that the department of M'Bahiakro, located on the border between forest and savannah, is an exceptionally rich agro-ecological territory, hosting a varied biodiversity and a wide range of species.biodiversity and diversified agricultural potential, but is facing major challenges linked to soil degradation, desertification and biodiversity erosion, all of which have had a negative impact on its agricultural situation in recent decades as a result of climate change.

M. Diango hailed the initiative of several innovative programs and projects that have benefited the department, notably the integrated program for adaptation to climate change.These include the integrated program for adaptation to climate change, which aims to reduce people's vulnerability to the effects of climate change, restore degraded land and strengthen people's resilience.

The prefect of M'Bahiakro department, Vé Kossounou Brigitte, who presided over the ceremony, emphasized that the discussions on these subjects highlighted the challenges posed by desertification and climate change.desertification and biodiversity erosion, "phenomena that threaten not only ecosystems, but also people's livelihoods and futures".A situation that calls for collective awareness, urgent action and a diversity of solutions.

"It's no longer a matter of noting the damage, but of implementing strategies to adapt to our local realities, taking into account the specific features of each territory", she declared.

The celebration was organized by the Regional Department of the Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, whose Director, Sabine Béziers, was also present.cological Transition, whose director, Sabine Camara, justified the choice of M'Bahiakro, for its position as a transit area between the forest and the savannah, for the celebration of these coupled days. The occasion was chosen to raise awareness among local populations, who are very familiar with the phenomenon of bush fires and are increasingly faced with land degradation.

The celebration of the International Day for Biodiversity and the Fight against Desertification and Drought in M'Bahiakro ended with a tree-planting session in the courtyard of the prefecture.

Source: www.aip.ci/