From Umar Dankano, Yola
Farmers in Nigeria have been urged to make use of weather prediction informations released by Nigerian Meteorological Agency (Nimet) as guide to plan the types of crops they grow in all seasons.
Mr. Haruna Zakari, General Manager Agrometeorogy of Nimet gave the suggestion in Yola Wednesday stressing the climate change information will assist heavily in knowing the potential yield of crops production and amount of rainfall expected in various locations in the country.
Zakari while making presentation on rainfall season, cessation and crop weather calendar at a one-day mid-season interactive workshop for Agriculture stakeholders organised by Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) Resource Centre in partnership with Nimet, OXFAM, PanAfrican Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) and African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ).
50 participants including environmentalists, farmers, NGOs, Agric experts and govt officials were trained.
The project is a 5 year program with funding support from Foreign Affairs Ministry of Neitherland.
Zakari explained that Nimet is releasing vital information on weather conditions which the public need to understand and use to address most of the climate change challenges facing us as a people noting that issues of flooding submerging and destroying homes and crops in our farms can be tackled appropriately.
“With the weather information the Nimet issues on daily basis in this country, farmers can use its (Nimet) projections or rainfall predictions for choice of what type of crops to grow for massive yields and avoiding flooding through man-made interferences.
“We always go down communities across the country to disseminate information on climate change as the realities are becoming apparent by the day. A situation that made Nimet to partner many relevant organisations,” Zakari stated.
Earlier in his keynote address, Executive Secretary of HEDA, Sulaimon Arigbabu said the training workshop was purposely organised to farmers and agriculture stakeholders to brainstorm on possible solutions on the challenges being caused as a result of the climate change.
Arigbabu observed that some of the environmental based challenges are being perpetrated by human activities especially blockage of the drainages with plastics items, lack of dams dredging and deforestation in our communities.
Arigbabu pointed out that all hands must be on deck solely to take actions with a view to ensure attitudinal change from the populace on saving our communities by doing the needful at the right time.
Most of the participants at the training expressed gratitude to the organisers of the interactive session pledging to use the take always from the session for onward transmission to the larger societies in the state and country at large.
50 participants were trained including environmentalists,farmers,NGOs,Agric experts and govt officials.
The project is a 5yrs program with funding support from Foreign Affairs Ministry of Neitherland.
