Victor Ezeja
AdminThe Nigerian government on Thursday stated that the insecurity ravaging the northern part of the country derives from the devastating impact of climate change.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, who raised concerns about the negative effects of climate change, at the Sahel Food Systems Change-makers’ Conference in Abuja, assuring that the challenges were being tackled in a sustainable manner by the government.
The conference was organized in Abuja with the theme, ‘Rethinking Food and Nutrition Security in the Face of Climate Change: Scaling Innovations and Driving Urgent Public-Private Partnership Actions’ where global warming was upheld as the single largest contributor to insecurity in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
According to the Minister who is a former governor of Kebbi State, “Climate change over the decades has been responsible for not only consequential effects on food systems but has been the single largest contributor to insecurity in agriculture.
“What is increasingly recognised as a Sahelian problem from Mauritania to Mali, Guinea, Niger Republic, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and up to the other side of the Atlantic, is mostly climate change driven.”
Bagudu noted that the competition for agricultural space was causing conflict, as farmers could no longer find enough land for farming in the way they used to, including those in the fishing and pastoralist communities.
The Minister also expressed the dangers of overlooking the impact of climate change not just on health and well-being but on nutrition outcomes.
“So climate change is real and we need not to be reminded that if we don’t do something it will affect us,” he said, stressing that the consequences of climate change in food production and nutrition were even felt in the Southern communities.
“So we have to evolve sustainable and climate resilient forms of livelihood support across each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Luckily there are practices that are being developed daily to help us deal with these challenges,” Bagudu said.
Also speaking, minister of Agriculture and Food security, Abubakar Abba Kyari said the conference centered around innovations which aims to drive the public and private partnership action to reflect on the gravity of the challenges faced.
Kyari, who was represented by Shukrah Mahmoud, stated that Nigeria like any other nation faces the harsh reality of climate change, including shift in weather patterns, extreme weather events, which significantly impact the nation’s agricultural sector, thereby threatening food security and production.
Noting that scaling innovation becomes not just an option but a necessity, the minister stressed the need for stakeholders to encourage research in climate development, sustainable agricultural practices and efficient resource management.
His words, “The collaboration between our scientists, farmers and entrepreneurs would be crucial in this industry, we must foster an ecosystem where innovations can flourish and where agricultural practices evolve.
“The role of the public – private partnership is equally essential, government has to address that no single entity would solve the complexity of the climate and food security. We must therefore unite our efforts, harnessing the strength of both the public and private sector
He assured that the president Tinubu led administration has promised to play a leading role and work tirelessly to create an enabling environment for innovation and investment.
“Our administration has taken the initiative to rebrand the ministry from the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development to the federal ministry of agriculture and food security.
“Furthermore, the president has declared a state of emergency regarding food in Nigeria, and as initiated a contingency plan in order to enhance food security, sustainability and durability”, the minister added.
Managing Partner, Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Limited, Temitope Adegoroye, said the objective of the conference was to advance the conversation on sustainable food systems in Nigeria.
“By bringing together key players in the industry, the conference helps to drive change and shape the future of the food and agriculture sector in the country, facilitate dialogue between stakeholders on the urgent need to champion cross-sectoral climate-responsive policies and interventions for a systematic transformation.
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“It highlights emerging solutions and innovative private sector-led strategies in the agri-food landscape as a sustainable option for a resilient food system and develops a clear blueprint for multi-sector collaborations to scale up successful agric models for a sustainable food ecosystem,” Adegoroye stated.
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