The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in collaboration with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has bolstered their alliance to enhance agricultural productivity and alleviate the adverse effects of climate variability on farmers’ livelihoods across the nation.
During a press briefing on the 2024 NiMet Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) held in Abuja, Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, disclosed that the Ministry and NiMet entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on March 3, 2022. This partnership encompasses various initiatives, such as the development of an early warning system dashboard, capacity building for Ministry personnel and other stakeholders in accessing and interpreting meteorological data, as well as delivering agro-meteorological advisory services to farmers regarding specific agricultural commodities.
He emphasized that the collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and NiMet highlights the significance of interagency coordination in tackling issues related to agricultural production and food security.
The Minister highlighted that the partnership aims to improve data dissemination, capacity-building, and stakeholder engagement to ensure that Nigerian farmers can access practical weather and climate information.
Additionally, he mentioned that the Ministry has transferred its 10 Automatic Weather Stations to NiMet to enhance its data and information gathering capabilities in the agricultural sector.
Kyari emphasized that the SCP will offer valuable insights into rainfall patterns, growing seasons, and potential dry spells, empowering farmers to make informed decisions to bolster their adaptive capabilities.
In his remarks, Prof. Charles Anosike, the Director-General of NiMet and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), affirmed NiMet’s dedication to providing timely and accurate weather and climate information to as many Nigerians as possible.
Anosike highlighted NiMet’s initiatives in disseminating seasonal climate predictions through formal engagements with farmers across various media platforms. He also stressed the importance of equipping Nigerians, especially farmers, with the necessary information and resources to make climate-resilient choices.
