Anosike: NiMet ready to provide timely weather, climate for economic growth

L-R: Research Scientist, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Dhulipala Ram Kiran; Program leader of livestock, climate, and environment at ILRI, Anthony Whitbread; Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Charles Anosike and Senior Scientist, Institutions and Innovation at ILRI, Rupsha Banerjee, at the one-day workshop on ‘Understanding the landscape of agro-meteorological data resources and processes for facilitating climate smart agriculture adoption’, jointly hosted by NiMet and ILRI, in Abuja, recently.

Stanley Ihedigbo

Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) is poised to play a crucial role in shielding the country’s economy from the impacts of climate change.

According to the agency’s Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Charles Anosike, NiMet is well-positioned to provide timely weather and climate information, thereby enabling climate-proofing of the economy

Prof. Anosike spoke while welcoming participants to a one-day workshop on ‘Understanding the landscape of agro-meteorological data resources and processes for facilitating climate smart agriculture adoption’ jointly hosted by NiMet and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), in Abuja.

According to Prof. Anosike, the workshop aims to help the participants understand the landscape of agro-meteorological advisories in Nigeria.

“This is an important workshop that is aimed at building resilience among smallholder farmers and livestock keepers to increase productivity by Identifying adaptation options, best practices, and adaptation gaps for smallholder farmers. I am particularly grateful to the ILRI for co-hosting this event, as the event is coming at the right time when NiMet is working on a strategic design to explore the pastoralist landscape of Nigeria in a bid to strengthen engagement and ensure the development of early warning systems specifically for the sector to make it resilient and sustainable in advancing the UN EW4ALL initiative”.

Prof. Anosike said that NiMet’s agrometeorological advisories have evolved in scope, including the concept of co-production which is supported by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

“Co-production allows critical stakeholders to be part of the production process of weather and climate information to increase the depth and improve the accuracy and relevance of the information provided. The workshop allows critical stakeholders to map the climate information advisories that are critical to smallholder farmers, and livestock keepers”, Prof. Anosike concluded.

Anthony Whitbread, Program leader, of livestock, climate, and environment at ILRI and one of the workshop facilitators said the workshop will improve the capacity of the participants, and help to identify gaps in information needs, data gathering, and the process of delivery of information to the last mile including gender and social inclusion.

On her part, Senior Scientist, Institutions and Innovation at ILRI, Rupsha Banerjee,
listed the expected outcome of the workshop as the production of “Country profile and infographic in brief, the delivery of climate services via the public and private sector in Nigeria”.