FG charts new path for climate-smart agribusiness

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has launched a high-level push to scale up climate-smart agriculture through public-private partnerships (PPPs), with a focus on Climate Information Services (CIS).

The initiative, which took place on Monday at the opening of the Best Practice Workshop on PPP for Climate Information Services and Consultations on the Climate-Smart Agribusiness Partnership for Resilience (CSAPR) Project, was held in Abuja.

The five-day workshop brought together government agencies, development partners, private sector players, and farmer organisations to develop strategies for embedding climate information into agribusiness and strengthening national food systems against climate shocks.

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Delivering her keynote address, IFAD Country Director, Mrs. Dede Ekoue, said Nigeria was at a defining moment in building resilience for its agriculture sector, noting that climate information has become a life-saving tool for farmers.

“Farmers cannot adapt without timely and reliable information on when to plant, when to harvest, or how to prepare for extreme weather. Public-private partnerships are vital because they enable innovation to meet scale, moving from pilots to sustainable, market-driven solutions that can reach millions”, Ekoue said.

She commended the Federal Government for prioritizing climate-smart agriculture under the Food Systems Transformation Pathways, while hailing NiMet for its role in generating and disseminating critical climate forecasts.

Speaking at the event, Professor Charles Anosike, Director-General of NiMet, underscored the need for climate data integration into national development.

He highlighted NiMet’s recent launch of the Enhancing National Climate Services (ENACTS) Maproom, a digital tool providing real-time weather forecasts, historical climate data, and tailored advisories to farmers.

“The Maproom is more than just technology; it is an investment in preparedness and in a future where informed choices lead to sustainable progress,” Anosike said, adding that NiMet is actively working with private sector stakeholders to establish Digital Climate Advisory Services (DCAS) tailored to smallholder farmers.

On his part, Mr. Ibrahim Tanimu, Director of Planning and Policy Coordination at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, reaffirmed government’s commitment to embedding climate resilience at the heart of Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda.

“Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, climate-resilient agriculture is a critical pillar of national development.

“The CSAPR project will be integrated into the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) to ensure climate-smart practices are embedded across agricultural value chains, creating opportunities for youth and women”, Tanimu said.

He urged participants, including banks, insurers, agribusinesses, ICT firms, and farmer groups, to actively engage in shaping solutions that would scale up climate services for smallholder farmers, who remain the backbone of Nigeria’s food system.

Agriculture employs nearly 70 percent of Nigeria’s workforce and contributes about 24 percent of GDP, but the sector faces severe risks from climate change, including erratic rainfall, droughts, and floods. Projections suggest agricultural productivity could decline by up to 25 percent by 2080 if adaptation measures are not urgently scaled up.

The CSAPR project, supported by IFAD and anchored in Nigeria’s SAPZ programme, seeks to leverage digital innovations, climate data, and private sector partnerships to de-risk agricultural investments, enhance food system resilience, and expand financial inclusion for smallholder farmers.

Stakeholders at the workshop are expected to develop actionable recommendations and a roadmap for integrating climate information into Nigeria’s agricultural value chains, with outcomes that will feed into the finalisation of the CSAPR project design.