The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, said Nigeria is committed to implementing comprehensive solutions to address its unique climate change challenges.
He made this statement at the high-level event “Partnering to Scale Up Climate Actions in Fragile and Conflict Affected Situations (FCS) – Zooming in on Food Security,” organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and held on Tuesday at the UAE Embassy in Rome.
The Minister stressed that climate change is a threat that transcends borders and therefore requires global cooperation, particularly in addressing food insecurity in fragile and conflict-affected areas.
The Minister stressed the need to raise public awareness and build capacity to effectively address the issue of climate change.
He further noted the importance of enhancing collaboration and securing financial resources, as well as facilitating technology transfer and innovation.
“Nigeria, like many other countries, is experiencing the negative impacts of climate change ranging from rising temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns and increased frequency of extreme weather events such as floods and droughts.
“These effects have significant implications to our agricultural sector which is the backbone of our economy and the primary source of livelihood to millions of Nigerians. The situation is even more devastating in fragile and conflict-affected regions,” he said.
The Minister also noted that the challenges facing the Northeast region of Nigeria, including climate-induced environmental degradation, insurgency, and terrorism, and their impact on food security and resources affect farmers livelihoods and therefore, food supply.
He announced that the government is investing in climate-smart agriculture to enhance the resilience of food systems and promote sustainable practices including agroforestry and conservation agriculture.
“We are investing in climate-smart agriculture in order to enhance the resilience of our food systems as well as promote practices such as agroforestry, conservation agriculture and the use of drought-resistant crop varieties. Our aim is to improve food production while conserving our natural resources.
“Nigeria has been proactive in engaging with international partners to mobilize resources and expertise. Our collaboration with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and other development partners has been instrumental in supporting our climate initiatives.
“These partnerships have enabled us to implement projects that enhance community resilience such as the Great Green Wall initiative which is aimed at combating desertification and restoring degraded lands across the Sahel region. A lot of work is still required in order to tackle these challenges.”
The Minister appealed to the international community to fulfill their commitments to climate financing, particularly for fragile and conflict-affected states. He emphasized that financial support is crucial for implementing adaptation and mitigation strategies, building resilient infrastructure, and ensuring that vulnerable communities are not left behind.
Furthermore, he stressed the importance of prioritizing the participation of women, youths, and indigenous communities in climate actions, as they are often the most affected by climate change and possess valuable traditional knowledge and practices that can contribute to sustainable solutions.
