By Stanley Onyekwere
The FCT Administration has commenced the downscaling of the 2024 NiMeT Seasonal Climate Prediction to farmers in the Territory.
Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS), Lawan Kolo Geidam flagged off the sensitization campaign in Gwagwalada.
Geidam, who was represented by the Director of Administration and Finance in the Secretariat, Mallam Ishaq Abubakar Sadeeq, said the campaign was part of the Administration’s strategy to tackle the pressing challenges posed by climate change by availing farmers with vital information on weather condition which will help them easily adapt to changes to mitigate the impact it may have on agricultural activities.
Highlighting the critical impact of climate change on agriculture, Geidam said “Over the past two to three decades, the world has faced unpredictable weather patterns, global warming, drought, torrential rainfall, and other extreme weather conditions that significantly threaten food and nutrition security.
“These challenges have forced many farmers to abandon their farms and seek alternative livelihoods in urban areas, posing a severe threat to food production.”
Geidam praised NiMeT for its consistent efforts in publishing annual climate reports, which provides farmers with timely and accurate information on planting schedules and crop selection.
He emphasized that the sensitization program will enhance the capacity of farmers to adapt to climate-related risks, thereby boosting agricultural productivity.
He assured that the FCT leadership, under the guidance of FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, is committed to fostering a conducive environment for the agriculture sector.
He noted that successful partnerships with projects like ACReSAL, JICA, and IITA as evidence of the Administration’s efforts to achieve food self-sufficiency and sustainable development.
He also urged the agriculture officers that will be deployed to the various communities to approach their assignments with seriousness, viewing them as noble services for the greater good of society.
Earlier in his remarks, the Director-General of NiMeT, Prof. Charles Anosike, represented by the Assistant General Manager of AGROMET, Mallam Alfa Ahmed Ibrahim, highlighted the significance of NiMeT’s Seasonal Climate Prediction as a flagship document that has substantially enhanced farmers’ yields and served as a vital advisory tool for stakeholders across all levels of government.
He emphasised that NiMeT has meticulously produced the report, providing comprehensive information for all states in the federation and the FCT, including detailed data at the Area Council level, such as crop weather calendars and livestock comfortability indices.
In her remarks, the Project Coordinator of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Project in the FCT, Hajiya Umma Abubakar, emphasized that the project is supporting the downscaling exercise, as part of its institutional support initiative to ensure that critical climate information reaches all six Area Councils and 17 chiefdoms of the FCT.
According to her, the initiative will provide support for the implementation strategies, which encompasses mobilization of farmers, capacity-building and strengthening communication channels between farmers and the Agriculture Secretariat to facilitate seamless feedback and support.
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