The forum, “Shepherding the Future: Nigeria’s Pastoralists and Rangelands Flagship Initiative for UNCCD COP17 and the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) 2026,” was held On 30 July 2026 at the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) Operational Office (APCU) in Kano.
Among those delivering goodwill messages were Igshaan Samuels, Co-Chair of the Global Alliance for Rangelands and Pastoralists; Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Co-Chair of the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC); and Ellen Otaru-Okoedion, UNCCD Civil Society Organization (CSO) Panel Representative for Africa.
Their messages emphasized the need to strengthen global partnerships, elevate Indigenous knowledge, empower pastoralist communities, increase women’s and youth leadership, and position sustainable rangeland management as a cornerstone of climate resilience and land restoration.
Organized by the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) with support from the Global Environmental and Climate Conservation Initiative (GECCI) and the Nigeria Indigenous People and Pastoralists Forum (NIPPF), the event brought together representatives from Nigeria’s eleven Great Green Wall frontline states, including federal and state government institutions, pastoralist and Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, women and youth groups, researchers, civil society organizations, development partners and private-sector stakeholders.
Throughout the One-day meeting, participants examined the challenges facing Nigeria’s rangelands—including land degradation, drought, climate change, biodiversity loss and increasing pressure on natural resources—while identifying practical solutions to strengthen ecosystem restoration and sustainable pastoral livelihoods.
When
30 July 2026
Event Region
Category
Other