In a critical intervention, environmental health specialist Dr. Festus Imuk has issued a compelling call for the systemic adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) to safeguard Nigeria’s food security and rural economies against the escalating climate crisis. His recommendations, presented in Abuja, provide a vital roadmap for transforming agricultural resilience.
The Urgent Challenge: Climate Change is Already Here
Dr. Imuk emphasized that climate change is not a distant threat but a present reality actively undermining Nigeria’s agricultural backbone. “The effects occur through destabilized rainfall patterns, rising temperatures, and more frequent extreme weather events like droughts and floods,” he stated. This is particularly catastrophic in a nation where over 80% of farming is rain-fed, leaving crops, livestock, fisheries, and farm incomes acutely vulnerable. The result is a direct threat to national food security and the livelihoods of millions.
A Three-Pillar Strategy for Climate-Smart Agriculture
Moving beyond general appeals, Dr. Imuk outlined a concrete, multi-faceted strategy built on three core pillars:
1. On-Farm Innovation and Diversification:
This involves shifting from vulnerable monocultures to resilient, diversified systems. Key practices include:
– Developing & Distributing Improved Seeds: Promoting drought-resistant, heat-tolerant, and early-maturing crop varieties is non-negotiable for adapting to new climatic norms.
– Embracing Agro-Ecological Practices: Techniques like crop rotation, agroforestry (integrating trees with crops), and mixed farming (combining crops and livestock) build natural resilience, reduce pest pressure, and improve soil health.
– Enhancing Soil & Water Management: Mulching, using cover crops, and constructing rainwater harvesting systems are essential for conserving precious soil moisture and fertility, acting as a buffer against dry spells.
2. Institutional Coordination and Support:
Farmers cannot act alone. Dr. Imuk stressed the need for robust government leadership:
– Policy Alignment: The Ministry of Agriculture must deeply integrate its work with climate change agencies like the National Council on Climate Change for a unified national response.
– Climate Information Services: Establishing early warning systems to alert farmers of impending droughts, floods, and heatwaves can save entire seasons’ yields.
– Financial & Educational Access: Providing farmers with affordable credit, insurance schemes for climate risks, and continuous education on CSA practices is critical for widespread adoption.
3. Leveraging Technology and Sustainable Infrastructure:
Modern tools are force multipliers for climate adaptation.
– Digital Empowerment: Mobile apps for hyper-local weather forecasts, pest alerts, and real-time market prices empower farmers to make informed decisions.
– Renewable Energy Integration: Solar-powered irrigation systems and cold storage facilities reduce dependence on fossil fuels, cut emissions, and ensure preservation of harvests without grid electricity.
– Sustainable Land Use: Preventing deforestation and promoting sustainable land management are fundamental to preserving the ecosystem services agriculture depends upon.
The Path Forward: From Urgency to Action
Dr. Imuk’s call to action underscores that climate-smart agriculture is an imperative, not an option. It represents a holistic shift from reactive disaster response to proactive resilience-building. By combining improved seeds, smart farming techniques, coordinated policy, and appropriate technology, Nigeria can transform its agricultural sector from a climate victim into a model of adaptation and sustainability. The time for isolated projects is over; the need is for a nationally scaled, integrated system that protects both the people who feed the nation and the environment that makes it possible.
Report by Sylvester Thompson for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Edited by Esenvosa Izah and Joseph Edeh.
