The Human and Environmental Development Agency (HEDA), with assistance from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), has organized a one-day seminar for farmers in Oyo state to raise awareness of seasonal climate prediction as part of efforts to sustain food production across the nation.
Speaking during the sensitization session titled “Downscale of the 2023 Seasonal Climate Prediction,” Mr Suliman Arigbabu, Executive Secretary of HEDA Resource Center, said that the goal of the training was to inform the public about the relationship between climate prediction and food security and sustainable development.
He pointed out that Oyo state has the capacity to feed Nigerians but is yet to be producing 20 per cent of its capacity.
In his words, “Oyo state is one of the most powerful states when it comes to agriculture in Nigeria. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been producing up to 20 per cent of its capacity. The state alone can feed all Nigerians. So, until we get to that stage, we won’t rest.”
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The environmental activist urged the government to increase funding for the agency that issues meteorological advisories, saying that a lack of sufficient funding, a shortage of weather stations, and a lack of manpower were the main causes of their predictions being less accurate than they could have been.
While charging the Oyo State Government to invest more in agricultural extension workers in rural areas, he advised farmers to take climate advisories before engaging in farm cultivation.
Dr Kakulu Florence, the state coordinator for Oyo in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, stated in her remarks that the ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NiMet to scale down annual weather forecasts for farmers nationwide. She noted that Oyo is one of the pilot states benefiting from the program.
To promote smart climate agriculture, she emphasized the necessity for the participants to scale down the training at their various locations for the benefit of other farmers who were unable to attend.
James Adamu, the chief meteorologist of NiMet, spoke about SCP and said that the data it generates each year is important for operators, stakeholders, and individuals in Nigeria’s business and public sectors to use in formulating policies, planning, and making decisions.
The secretary of all farmers in Oyo state, Mr Adewumi Abass, praised the government for the initiative and noted that it has always given farmers a heads-up on when the rain will start and stop each season.
Farmers, environmental specialists, and members of civil society organizations were among those who attended the session.
Story was adapted from Tribune.
