Abstract
The Great Green Wall interventions of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall in Nigeria represent a critical response to the dual challenges of climate change and socio-economic instability. As desertification and land degradation continue to threaten the livelihoods of millions, these interventions aim to provide social protection by enhancing resilience to environmental shocks and improving livelihoods in affected communities. This study analysed the effects of these initiatives on the livelihoods of vulnerable communities in selected frontline states along the Sahel region of Nigeria. It raises questions about how the agency's initiatives have influenced respondents' livelihood capital and whether there is a difference in the livelihood capital of beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. Utilising a quantitative approach, the research purposively selected 262 respondents from Gombe, Kebbi and Sokoto states on whom structured questionnaires were administered to understand how the interventions affected their livelihood capital. The data were analysed using regression analysis and means. The study revealed that the agency's interventions significantly influenced beneficiaries' livelihood capital, as evidenced by the significant difference in livelihood capital post-intervention. The effect varies across livelihood capital (t = 9.75 for physical, t = 6.55 for human, t = 6.85 for financial, t = 7.69 for social, and t = 4.33 for natural). The livelihood capital of beneficiaries also increased relative to that of non-beneficiaries, highlighting how social welfare intervention programs can improve climate resilience for communities affected by climate change.
Keywords
References
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