As part of strategy to tackle the pressing challenges posed by climate change, the Federal Capital Territory Administration has commenced a sensitisation campaign for farmers in the FCT to mitigate its impact on agricultural activities.
The campaign, flagged off in Gwagwalada, aims to downscale the 2024 NiMeT Seasonal Climate Prediction to farmers, providing them with timely and accurate information on weather conditions, planting schedules, and crop selection.
Speaking at the event, the Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Lawan Geidam, emphasized the unpredictable weather patterns, global warming, drought, and extreme weather conditions that threaten food and nutrition security.
The campaign, in partnership with NiMeT, aims to enhance farmers’ capacity to adapt to climate-related risks, boost agricultural productivity, and achieve food self-sufficiency.
Represented by the Director of Administration and Finance in the secretariat, Mallam Ishaq Sadeeq, the Secretary assured of the FCTA’s commitment to fostering a conducive environment for the agriculture sector, citing successful partnerships with projects like ACReSAL, JICA, and IITA.
“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.”
The NiMeT Seasonal Climate Prediction report provides comprehensive information for all states in the federation and the FCT, including detailed data at the Area Council level.”
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.
Earlier in his remarks, the Director-General of NiMeT, Prof. Charles Anosike, represented by the Assistant General Manager of AGROMET, Alfa 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 emphasized 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.
The project she added 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.
