Many rural communities in Nigeria depend heavily on their Natural Environment for their livelihoods and socioeconomic well-being. These local populations, particularly those in and around Forest ecosystems, rely greatly on biodiversity and natural resources for their survival. It serves as a crucial life support system for these communities. However, this reliance is often unsustainable. Practices such as river chemical fishing, hunting, and Deforestation for subsistence farming puts significant strain on the ecosystem, leading to a loss of biodiversity and natural resources. This decline threatens both nature and the people who depend on it.
In an effort to reverse this negative trend, the Nigerian government partnered with UNESCO to launch the “Nigeria-UNESCO Biodiversity Business Project.” Officially titled “Biodiversity Business in Oban Biosphere Reserve, Omo Biosphere Reserve, and Shere Hills Forest Reserve, Nigeria: A Means to Poverty Reduction, Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development in Nigeria,” this initiative aims to improve the livelihoods of local communities while conserving biodiversity through the establishment of green businesses and promoting a green economy, with a particular focus on youth and women entrepreneurship.
Exploring Omo Biosphere Reserve in Ogun State.
Funded by the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, Commonwealth Window, the project is implemented by UNESCO in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Nigerian Man and Biosphere (MAB) Committee, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), the National Park Service (NPS), and other relevant agencies. The project targets three key sites: Oban Biosphere Reserve, Omo Biosphere Reserve, and Shere Hills Forest Reserve. The project and its steering committee were inaugurated in December 2023 by the Minister of Environment, Mallam Balarabe Abbas Lawal. Workshops were scheduled to introduce the project at each of the three sites, with the first workshop taking place on June 25, 2024, at Omo Biosphere Reserve.
Located in Ogun State, it spans two local government areas: Ijebu North and Ijebu East. The reserve is protected by rangers from the National Parks Service and includes a Strict Natural Reserve (SNR) managed by FRIN, covering 460 hectares of forest. Designated as a biosphere reserve in 1977, Omo was the first of its kind in Nigeria. Since then, other forest reserves have been designated as biosphere reserves, including Oban and Okwangwo in Cross River State and Hadejia-Nguru-Bade in Jigawa and Yobe states. Shere Hills in Plateau State and Yankari Game Reserve in Bauchi State are also slated for designation.
Several communities benefit from the reserve.
On June 26, 2024, the project site inception workshop for Omo Biosphere Reserve was held at Ogun State Plantation Hall, Area J4. The workshop aimed to introduce the project to stakeholders and the benefiting communities, gather their input, and establish a working relationship. It also sought to identify potential biodiversity businesses or “green income” generating activities, to be supported through market surveys, socio-economic analyses, and inventories. Benefiting communities at Omo Biosphere Reserve include Aba Kurudu, Akpora, Osoko Mokore, Abeku Adekanbi, Laoka, Etemi, Sojukorodo, Owode, Mokore, Eseke, and Tami Tami. Meanwhile, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, represented by his Commissioner for Forestry, Taiwo Oludotun, expressed the state government’s support for the project.
He commended the National Commission for UNESCO and the Man and Biosphere team for their ongoing interventions at Omo Biosphere Reserve. Governor Abiodun highlighted the critical role of forests in supporting local communities and emphasized that conserving biodiversity can directly improve livelihoods and reduce poverty. He announced the approval of 4,000 hectares of forest land to be gazetted as a protected area. Professor Zacharia Yaduma, Director-General of FRIN and focal point for the Man and Biosphere Programme, praised the Ogun State government’s contributions to past projects at the site. He emphasized the essential role of biodiversity in maintaining the planet’s health and resilience and the need to address poverty and Environmental Degradation through sustainable development.
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Mr. Abdourahamane Diallo, Head of UNESCO Abuja Office and UNESCO Representative to Nigeria, stated that the project aligns with Nigeria’s National Development Plan (2021-2025) and aims to enhance local communities’ socio-economic status through biodiversity businesses while conserving biodiversity. He encouraged the benefiting communities to support the project for the collective good. Dr. Tayo Oyelowo of FRIN elaborated on the significance of Omo Biosphere Reserve, noting its support for demonstration projects, environmental education, training, and research conservation. The reserve supports a diverse range of species, including 42 mammals, 15 reptiles, and over 100 bird species. As a designated Important Bird Area (IBA), Omo Biosphere Reserve is a crucial habitat for numerous bird species.