The Director-General and CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Prof. Charles Anosike, has reiterated the agency’s commitment to fortify Nigeria’s economy against climate challenges by delivering timely, relevant weather and climate data, particularly to build resilience among smallholder farmers.
This was emphasised in a statement released on Monday while speaking at a one-day workshop on agro-meteorological data resources in Abuja.
According to the statement, NiMet’s role in building resilience among smallholder farmers and livestock keepers through climate-smart solutions.
The event, hosted in collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute, aimed to facilitate the adoption of climate-smart agriculture in Nigeria.
“This is an important workshop aimed at building resilience among smallholder farmers and livestock keepers to increase productivity by identifying adaptation options, best practices, and adaptation gaps,” Anosike said.
He added that the workshop aligns with NiMet’s strategic efforts to strengthen engagement with Nigeria’s pastoralist sector and develop early warning systems that support the UN’s Early Warnings for All (EW4ALL) initiative.
Highlighting the evolution of NiMet’s agro-meteorological advisories, Anosike noted the adoption of a co-production model supported by the World Meteorological Organisation.
“Co-production allows critical stakeholders to be involved in the production of weather and climate information, improving the depth, accuracy, and relevance of the information provided,” he added.
The workshop also aimed to map climate information crucial to smallholder farmers and livestock keepers, ensuring that advisory services effectively reach the last mile.
The Programme Leader for Livestock, Climate, and Environment at ILRI, Anthony Whitbread, highlighted the workshop’s role in identifying gaps in data gathering and delivery processes.
He stated that it would improve participants’ capacity to meet the needs of smallholder farmers, including considerations for gender and social inclusion.
Similarly, Senior Scientist for Institutions and Innovation at ILRI, Rupsha Banerjee, outlined the expected outcomes, which include developing a country profile and infographic, as well as enhancing the delivery of climate services through both public and private sectors in Nigeria.