Crown Flour Mill Limited (CFM), a subsidiary of Olam, an agribusiness conglomerate, has donated 5,000 tree saplings to the Bayero University Kano (BUK). This is part of a tree planting campaign launch geared towards offsetting carbon emissions and conserving biodiversity. The tree saplings were donated to the premier university through Olam’s fleet management team, at an event held on the school campus in Kano recently.
CFM is implementing this environmental sustainability partnership with some leading universities and their respective state governments, flagging off the campaign with BUK and the Kano State government. The tree plantation campaign is seen as an important climate action that is aimed at achieving carbon neutrality and the net-zero targets on a larger scale. It would ensure that the fuel emission created by its fleet operations are to a large extent offset from the ecosystem.
Ganduje commended the timeliness of the implementation of the CFM tree plantation campaign. He noted that the effort would bolster the state’s ministry of Environment’s current drive aimed at curbing industrial waste and engendering a healthier ecosystem.
“To make our dear state pollution-free and healthier, the state government decided to shift waste management in the state from a state-dominated effort to public-private partnership (PPP) as this strategic route aligns with global best practice,” Governor Ganduje said.
The Kano State governor added: “This CFM tree planting programme is timely. No doubt it will strengthen the ministry’s commitment because of its significance in making our environment healthier. I therefore thank CFM for initiating this important event which aims at making our life better and our environment a better place to live.”
Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, vice-chancellor of BUK, explained that targeted investment in nature is key to achieving carbon neutrality. He commended CFM for the tree plantation campaign, describing it as a bold initiative that would strengthen the biological richness of the ecosystem and maintain biodiversity.
On the impact of this sustainability drive, Mr. Ashish Pande, the Managing Director of Crown Flour Mill Limited, said, “This tree planting campaign is part of our overarching corporate responsibility and sustainability initiative. This is our small way of contributing to the important activity of climate action.
Also reiterating the importance of the sustainability action, Mr. Bishesh Ranjan Jha, the Business Head of Olam Fleet, said, “We want to increase awareness about the importance of tree planting. Trees and forests play an essential role in mitigating the impact of climate change and the more people we can canvass to take action the faster results we will get.” Dignitaries who attended the event included Hon Farouk Lawan Sule Garo, who represented the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; Professor Abbas and Professor Mahmoud Umar Sani, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services) of the school. Others were Malam Jamil Ahmad Salim, Acting Registrar; Professor Ibrahim Baba Yakubu, Dean, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Dr. Abdulazeez Raji, Sub-Dean, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Associate Professor Murtala Badamasi, all of Bayero University Kano.
