The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, has advocated for establishing agricultural insurance and weather advisory desks at the community level to help smallholder farmers adapt to and withstand climate change impacts.
In a statement on Monday, Assistant Director of Information Ezeaja Ikemefuna explained that the initiative seeks to create a sustainable environment for agricultural investment and support climate resilience. Represented by Dr. Deola Lordbanjo, Director of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension Services, the minister spoke at the recent Agricultural Insurance and Climate Advisory Round Table Meeting in Abuja.
Kyari emphasized that timely, community-based weather advisory services could mitigate climate change effects on agriculture, ultimately enhancing productivity.
Kyari stated, “The importance of insurance cover for farmers cannot be overemphasised, as this can help to protect investments, increase productivity, and improve the livelihoods of farmers, which will in turn aid the country in achieving its food security objectives.”
He noted that “there is also a growing frequency and severity of floods, droughts, and other environmental disasters arising from climate change. Farmers are particularly vulnerable to these disasters, which set them back each time they occur by wiping out their investments.”
He revealed that “the Ministry is resolved to develop the agricultural sector towards achieving the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially those related to zero hunger, and to improve sustainable agricultural practices.”
Kyari stressed that “agricultural investments must be protected and market-oriented for us to move away from the subsistence farming currently practiced by our smallholder farmers.”
The minister lauded USAID for its tireless efforts in strengthening social stability through social services and promoting a more market-led economy that has enhanced Nigeria’s capacity as a responsible regional and trade partner.
In his remarks, the Director of Winrock International, Jean–Pierre Rousseau, stated that agricultural insurance and weather advisory services have tremendous potential to transform the agricultural sector in Nigeria.
He pledged that the United States Agency for International Development’s Feed the Future Programme would continue to support the agricultural sector in Nigeria.
In attendance were various stakeholders in the Agricultural Extension Services Sub-Sector, including USAID’s Feed the Future Programme, Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, and the Agricultural Development Programme, among others.
