…Prof. Anosike: Our challenge is reaching 70 million farmers with our annual rainfall prediction
By Dele Ogbodo
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) have concluded arrangement to strengthen their existing relationship toward improving food security and agricultural production for Nigeria’s teeming population.
Recall that the Ministry and NiMet in 2022 signed an MoU to collaborate in critical areas which include the development of a dash-board for early warning systems, capacity building for staff of the Ministry and other stakeholders on accessing and interpreting information on meteorological parameter changes.
It also includes the provision of agro-meteorological advisory services to farmers on specific agricultural commodities, EXTRAORDINAIRE.COM learnt.
Underscoring NiMet’s annual Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), which held at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja, on Tuesday, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Abubakar Kyari while welcoming the NiMet team led by
the Director General, Prof. Charles Anosike, said: “Your presence here today, at our headquarters, marks another milestone in the deliberate and desirable collaboration and co-operation between our Ministry and your agency.”
Over the years, critical sectors of the economy: Aviation, maritime, and agriculture, have come to rely on the seasonal rainfall prediction and it’s reliability and usefulness as indicated by the increasing demand across geographical location and sectors.
The Minister acknowledged that the annual prediction can assist in shaping agriculture in Nigeria with regard to information about the pattern and duration of rainfall across the country’s agronomic zones, when to grow and length of growing season, as well as dry spells that could occasion loss of agricultural investment, where remedial measures are not taken.
This in turn helps to boost the adaptive capacity of farmers, he added.
Regrettably, he said there have been farming seasons in Nigeria when farmers did not take advantage of the institutional advice from NIMET, and on their own misread the rainfall pattern, only to face dry spells that invariably ruined their crops and livelihoods.
In his remarks, the DG thanked the Minister for his leadership and the kind gesture to strengthen the relationship between NiMet and the ministry.
“NiMet wishes to build on the database of farmers that the ministry has.
“lready NiMet disseminates information about seasonal climate prediction through formal engagements with farmers , and through the media.”
However, he explained that lot of gaps still exist within the dissemination space, adding: “Our goal is to reach as many Nigerians as possible with timely, accurate and actionable weather and climate information as part of NiMet Early Warning Drive.”
Continuing, Anosike said: “Food security requires consistent collaboration with all stakeholders.
The SCP as predicted are being manifested but the challenge remains disseminating the contents to over 70 million farmers in Nigeria.
According to him, farmers need to be equipped with the right information, tools and other resources to make climate resilient decisions.