The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Aliyu Abdullahi has stated that the timely release of Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) will ensure Nigerian farmers are well-informed in their decision-making and agricultural planning, ultimately enhancing their productivity.
The minister made this announcement during the presentation of the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), themed “The Role of Early Warnings towards a Climate-Resilient Aviation Industry for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development,” organised by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, in Abuja.
He emphasised that “the SCP is a valuable advisory guide for farmers. It provides site-specific downscaling that, when utilsed, can boost farmers’ adaptive capacity and resilience to the impacts of climate change.”
He also noted that “early warning systems and climate intelligence are critical for resilience, adaptation, and economic stability. Seasonal Climate Prediction is vital for our nation’s agricultural sector. It will serve as a strategic guide for planning, decision-making and risk mitigation.”
Abdullahi mentioned that the agricultural sector contributed 17.22 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the first quarter of 2024, with smallholder farmers comprising over 70 per cent of the workforce.
He further added that the “SCP will enable farmers to increase productivity while reducing poverty, hunger, food insecurity, malnutrition, food imports and unemployment. Additionally, it will enhance women’s empowerment in agriculture and improve environmental performance.”
In a statement by the ministry’s director of information, Ikemefuna Ezeaja the minister lauded the collaborative efforts between NiMet and the ministry in incorporating climate intelligence into agricultural practices. He stated, “The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is fully committed to supporting the early warning system, climate-smart agriculture and all initiatives aimed at achieving food security and a resilient environment.”
Abdullahi also revealed that the current administration, led by President Bola Tinubu, has prioritised SCP. They have designated the office of the Presidential Special Envoy on Climate Action as the lead negotiator on climate-related matters and tasked it with coordinating climate action activities across federal ministries.
