Emir Hails ACReSAL’s Poverty Intervention as Jiwa Seeks Climate-Resilient Transformation

The Emir of Jiwa and Paramount Ruler of Jiwa Kingdom, Idris Musa, has welcomed a major poverty-alleviation push by the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project, describing it as a turning point for a community long challenged by environmental pressures and limited economic opportunities.

Speaking during a high-level engagement with officials of the World Bank-supported initiative in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the monarch said Jiwa stands ready to partner with stakeholders to translate commitments into measurable improvements in livelihoods.

“I thank you for considering my community. We have listened to your promises and we are prepared to cooperate fully to ensure successful implementation,” the Emir said.

The intervention, driven by ACReSAL’s Task Team Leader and Senior Environmental Specialist at the World Bank, Joy Iganya Agene, focuses on expanding income-generating opportunities while addressing climate-related vulnerabilities affecting semi-arid communities.

Agene explained that beyond financial support, the project is designed to build resilience through sustainable agriculture, improved infrastructure, and structured community participation.

“Our engagement with more than 30 community groups has helped us understand their priority needs,” she said. “We have identified critical concerns, including drainage challenges that must be addressed before the rainy season. We will guide the community on the steps required to begin implementation.”

She stressed transparency and collaboration as core principles of the intervention, urging community groups with overlapping objectives to consolidate efforts and develop stronger proposals capable of attracting support under the project framework.

The Mandate Secretary of the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, FCTA, Abdullahi Suleiman Ango, represented by Ann Ijeoma, said ACReSAL’s footprint is already visible in several rural communities across the FCT.

According to him, the Community Revolving Fund (CRF) is empowering grassroots agricultural enterprises, while infrastructure projects—such as solar-powered boreholes, solar street lights, and improved waste management systems—are helping to raise living standards.

He called on Jiwa residents to take ownership of the projects to ensure sustainability.

“These investments belong to the people. Protecting and maintaining them will guarantee long-term benefits,” he said.

Earlier, FCT ACReSAL Project Coordinator, Caroline Opara, disclosed that consultations in Jiwa revealed urgent needs in flood control, agricultural inputs, solar lighting, water access, and expansion of the Community Revolving Fund.

She noted that residents have been organized into Community Interest Groups (CIGs), with deliberate emphasis on inclusiveness and women’s participation—an approach aimed at ensuring equitable distribution of benefits.

“The enthusiasm shown here gives us confidence. With the World Bank team on ground, we expect to fast-track the processes needed to deliver these interventions,” Opara said.

For Jiwa, a community grappling with drainage deficiencies and limited economic diversification, the ACReSAL initiative represents more than a development project—it signals a pathway toward climate resilience and sustainable poverty reduction.

If fully implemented, stakeholders say the programme could reposition the agrarian community as a model for integrated rural development within the FCT.