Fragmented coordination, technical gaps hinder climate early warning system — NiMet

Charles Anosike, director-general of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has identified limited technical capacity, fragmented coordination, and inadequate meteorological observation networks as a major challenge facing Nigeria’s climate early warning system.

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the ‘Building Agricultural Systems Resilience in Nigeria Project’, held at NiMet’s headquarters, Abuja, Anosike highlighted difficulties in reaching smallholder farmers with relevant climate advisories as key issues, especially among rural women and youth.

To address these gaps, he said the project, which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, would bolster the country’s infrastructure for climate early action and warning systems.

He said the project was expected to meet the demand for relevant and timely climate information for decision-support analytics in the agriculture sector by increasing analytic capacity and capability, improving support for locally tailored climate analytics and information services, and enhancing early warning systems through better inter-agency cooperation.

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The steering committee, chaired by the DG NiMet, comprises technical directors from key ministries and agencies, technical partners, implementing partners, and representatives from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This committee will oversee the project’s implementation, provide strategic guidance, monitor progress, advocate for program coordination, and ensure effective risk management.

Key stakeholders involved in the project include the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), the Federal Ministry of Environment, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. The project management is being handled by Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Ltd.

The initiative seeks to enhance Nigeria’s capacity to deliver relevant and timely climate information, thereby strengthening the resilience of its agricultural systems in the face of climate change.