The Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) says it is collaborating with stakeholders in the agricultural sector to tackle the impact of climate change on agribusiness by adopting the Climate-Smart Agriculture approach.
President of the group, Mr Emmanuel Ijewere made this known during a 2-day workshop on Developing a National Framework for Climate-Smart Agriculture, themed, “Cleaner, Safer, Rewarding Agriculture”, which was organised by the group and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
During his address, Ijewere said that farmers needed to adopt Climate-Smart Agriculture as a solution to crop cultivation, mitigating post-harvest losses, improving crop yields, restoring soil nutrients, and improving livestock farming amidst the ravaging impact of climate change on the ecosystem.
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Ijewere noted that every country has a specific responsibility to adjust to climate change, especially in food production, adding that the Climate-Smart Agriculture project which is currently being championed by NABG seeks to ensure that a sustainable agricultural framework that is inclusive and affords Nigerian youths the opportunity to get involved in food production is established.
He maintained that the approach will further reduce massive food importation bills while using the land resources efficiently and effectively with modern farm technology,” he said.
“The innovation will bring about increased harvest and less input sustainability; improving quality soil; sustainable greenhouse gas levels; high production and falling cost, and new methods on weather and harvest forecast,” he said.
He noted that it was high time that Nigeria began to transform its agri-food system including crops, livestock, fisheries, aquaculture, agro forestry and forestry.
Story was adapted from Thisday
