With an emphasis on Climate Information Services (CIS), the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have initiated a high-level initiative to expand climate-smart agriculture through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
The initiative was held in Abuja on Monday during the opening of the Climate-Smart Agribusiness Partnership for Resilience (CSAPR) Project’s Best Practice Workshop on PPP for Climate Information Services and Consultations.
In order to create strategies for integrating climate information into agriculture and fortifying national food systems against climate shocks, the five-day workshop brought together government agencies, development partners, entities from the corporate sector, and farmer organizations.
Nigeria is at a turning point in developing resilience for its agriculture sector, according to IFAD Country Director Mrs. Dede Ekoue, who gave the keynote presentation. She also mentioned that climate information has become a life-saving instrument for farmers.
“Farmers cannot adapt without timely and reliable information on when to plant, when to harvest, or how to prepare for extreme weather. Public-private partnerships are vital because they enable innovation to meet scale, moving from pilots to sustainable, market-driven solutions that can reach millions”, Ekoue said.
She praised NiMet for its contribution to the creation and dissemination of important climate forecasts and praised the Federal Government for giving climate-smart agriculture a priority under the Food Systems Transformation Pathways.
Professor Charles Anosike, Director-General of NiMet, emphasized the need of incorporating climate data into national development during his remarks at the ceremony.
He emphasized NiMet’s recent introduction of the Enhancing National Climate Services (ENACTS) Maproom, an online resource that offers farmers customized advisories, historical climate data, and real-time weather forecasts.
“The Maproom is more than just technology; it is an investment in preparedness and in a future where informed choices lead to sustainable progress,” Anosike said.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security’s Director of Planning and Policy Coordination, Mr. Ibrahim Tanimu, for his part, reiterated the government’s resolve to make climate resilience a key component of Nigeria’s agricultural transformation strategy.
“Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, climate-resilient agriculture is a critical pillar of national development.
“The CSAPR project will be integrated into the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) to ensure climate-smart practices are embedded across agricultural value chains, creating opportunities for youth and women”, Tanimu said.
He urged participants, including banks, insurers, agribusinesses, ICT firms, and farmer groups, to actively engage in shaping solutions that would scale up
Banks, insurers, agribusinesses, ICT companies, and farmer organizations are among the participants he urged to actively participate in developing solutions that would scale up climate services for smallholder farmers, who continue to be the foundation of Nigeria’s food supply.
Almost 70% of Nigerians work in agriculture, which also accounts for 24% of the country’s GDP. However, climate change poses serious threats to the industry, including unpredictable rainfall, droughts, and floods. Agricultural productivity may drop by as much as 25% by 2080, according to projections, if adaption measures are not immediately increased.
Supported by IFAD and based on Nigeria’s SAPZ program, the CSAPR initiative aims to increase financial inclusion for smallholder farmers, de-risk agricultural investments, and improve food system resilience by utilizing digital innovations, climate data, and private sector collaborations.
It is anticipated that workshop participants would create a roadmap and practical suggestions for incorporating climate data into Nigeria’s agricultural value chains. The results will be used to finalize the CSAPR project design.