Effective early warning solution to food insecurity – NiMet DG

The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Professor Charles Anosike, has said an effective early warning system, equipping farmers with the knowledge of weather patterns and seasonal forecasting could boost food security and ensure adequate protection from climate disasters.

Anosike was speaking as a panelist during the USAID Global Food Security Strategy Country Plan launch in Abuja, according to a statement.

The panel discussed the role of development partners and Nigerian MDAs in ensuring food security.

Anosike stated that Nigeria is presently facing food security challenges which require a new way of thinking by integrating weather and climate-related factors into the entire agricultural value chain.

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He added, “Unpredictable rainfall patterns and extreme events can trigger competition for food and water. Declining agricultural outputs can lead to loss of income and exacerbate food insecurity. Temperature changes affect crop growth and yield, and can also destroy crops during post-processing and transportation.

“We need to intensify our collaborative efforts with a deliberate strategy to promote climate-smart agriculture, invest in preparedness, and improve the response-ability of our smallholder farmers.

“Climate change may not be the only source of our problems. However, climate change is the ‘threat multiplier’ as it intensifies resource scarcity and deepens food insecurity.