Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) has urged farmers to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices to ensure a productive season.
The agency said that due to the upcoming planting season, it is essential for farmers to understand regional climate forecasts and adjust their farming strategies accordingly.
The director-general of NiMET, Prof Charles Anosike gave the advice in Abuja yesterday during the presentation of 2024 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) to the federal ministry of agriculture and food security.
The SCP provides insight on some essential climate parameters and their expected behaviour within the season.
The move is part of the ongoing collaboration between the ministry and NiMET in providing timely weather advisories, to aid sectors like agriculture, aviation and maritime.
He said that the focus was to disseminate seasonal climate predictions which are crucial for farmers to make informed decisions and knowledge which allows farmers to plan their planting season without haste and to avoid the wastage of resources.
He emphasised the importance of a swift communication of the information and stressed the need for farmers to understand the crop calendar and the expected weather patterns which will enable them to plant their crops at the optimum time, leading to better yields and sustainability.
Earlier the minister of agriculture and food security, Abubakar Kyari stressed the role of seasonal climate prediction in boosting agricultural productivity.
The minister cited instances where misreading rainfall patterns led to significant crop losses, while he stressed the need for farmers to heed institutional advice from NIMET.
Recognising the vulnerability of small-holder farmers to climate variability, Kyari further emphasised the need for concrete actions to adapt to erratic weather conditions, particularly in rain-fed agriculture, which remains predominant in Nigeria.