By Our Reporter
Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, in partnership with the Edo State Government, IDH, and local communities, has unveiled a plan to plant over 33,000 forest trees in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State as part of efforts to restore degraded forests and safeguard biodiversity.
The initiative, announced on Wednesday, will be executed in phases, beginning with the planting of 3,000 trees in Gbole-Uba, Paul Camp, Magdalene Camp, Osayamwen, and Bisi Camp.
Director of Plantation, Edo State Forestry Commission, Mr. Akpele Maxwell, said the project reflects the state’s commitment to protecting the ecosystem while improving livelihoods. He assured farmers that their farmlands would remain intact and that crops could be cultivated alongside the new trees.
Senior Programme Manager at IDH, Mr. Ogwu Abraham, described the partnership as vital to enhancing sustainable agriculture and community welfare. Similarly, Okomu’s Smallholder Coordinator, Mr. Billy Ghansah, reaffirmed the company’s dedication to conservation, noting that it had set aside about 3,000 hectares of high conservation value areas despite challenges such as illegal logging and encroachment.
Representatives of the participating communities welcomed the project, pledging their support and stressing the need for all stakeholders to uphold their commitments.
Environmental experts believe the regeneration drive could serve as a national model if properly implemented, offering a pathway to ecological balance, sustainable farming, and stronger rural economies.