From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has emphasized that the timely release of Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) will help Nigerian farmers make informed decisions, improving agricultural planning and boosting productivity.
Speaking at the presentation of the 2025 SCP by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) in Abuja on Tuesday, Abdullahi highlighted the importance of climate intelligence in achieving food security.
The event, themed “The Role of Early Warnings Towards a Climate-Resilient Aviation Industry for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development,” focused on leveraging early warnings for national development.
According to the minister, “The SCP is a useful advisory tool for farmers. It provides site-specific forecasts and, when applied, enhances farmers’ adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change.”
He stressed that early warning systems and climate intelligence are crucial for resilience, adaptation, and economic stability.
He described seasonal climate prediction as a strategic guide for agricultural planning, decision-making, and risk management.
Abdullahi further noted that the agricultural sector contributed 17.22% to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the first quarter of 2024, with smallholder farmers accounting for over 70% of the workforce.
He emphasized that the SCP will not only boost productivity but also help reduce poverty, hunger, food insecurity, malnutrition, food imports, and unemployment while promoting women’s empowerment in agriculture and improving environmental sustainability.
Commending the collaboration between NiMet and the ministry, Abdullahi reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to integrating climate intelligence into agriculture.
“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security fully supports early warning systems, climate-smart agriculture, and all development initiatives aimed at achieving food security and a climate-resilient environment,” he said.
The minister also revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has prioritized SCP by approving the Office of the Presidential Special Envoy on Climate Action to serve as Nigeria’s lead negotiator on climate-related matters and coordinate climate initiatives across federal ministries.