Nigerian Metrological Agency (NiMet)’s |
The Nigerian
Metrological Agency (NiMet)’s Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) official
release for 2016 has indicated shorter rainfall as both Agriculture and Water Resources Ministry would meet on irrigation modalities to checkmate dry spell’s vagaries based on advice from Institute for Agricultural
Research (IAR), Samaru, Zaria.
In his
message, the Director General (DG) / Chief executive Officer (CEO) of NiMet,
Dr. Anthony Anuforom said there would be shorter rainfall that will requires
that farmers are well educated so as to mitigate impact saying“rainfall prediction
indicates that the rainy season in Nigeria this year will be characterized by
late on set, early cessation and lower-than-normal rainfall in many parts of
the country, especially in the northernmost parts. Also dry spells during the
rainy season may be more frequent and severe in many parts of the North, while
the “Little Dry Season” or (August break) in parts of the south are expected to
be pronounced. These are risk factors for farmers in the affected areas, and
have to be carefully and scientifically managed”
Dr. Anthony
Anuforom stressed further that it was necessary to state that the expected
lower-than normal rainfall in parts of the country does not rule the possibility
of isolated flash floods due to high intensity rainfall at the peak of the
season, especially in places that are naturally prone to flooding” thereby emphasizing
on the need for more collaboration among Ministry, Department and Agencies
(MDAs) pointed that “ the FMARD should work closely with NiMet to include
relevant agro metrological information as part of its agric extension package.
NiMet will like to work with the Ministry of Environment to complete the
development of a National Framework for climate services (NFACS). We are ready
to partner with any state government or groups to downscale the SRP to their zone,
translate the SRP to local languages and providing training on the interpretation
and application”
Executive Director, Institute for Agricultural
Research (IAR) Prof. I.U Abubarkar on his position during one of the sessions titled
“SRP: A tool for reviving Agriculture as an Economic Growth” said the vagaries
of shorter rain with dry spells severe in many parts of the North could be
mitigated by availability of heat tolerant seed varieties to farmers cum full utilization
of our dams for the all year round cultivations to achieving food security.
IAR ED Prof.
Abubakar responding to chairman of the session, Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development (FMARD) Chief Audu Ogbeh on question of drought and flood
management stressed further that government need to do more in areas of funding
research and extension services for the benefit of rural people with deployment
of more farmers into full capacity use of dam for irrigation farming.
An insurance expert, Mr. I. Akerele stressed
the need for weather index document that would enhance efficient insurance
cover for farmers in terms of data adding that insurance policies are another
method of risk management against climate change impact.
Unveiling
the SRP for the year 2016, the Minister of State for Aviation Ministry, Sen.
Hadi Sirika said the theme of the NIMET review for this year tagged around Agriculture
and Transport cannot be better than now in the face of present economic
situation that called for repositioning of local contents through efficient
transportation system enhanced with weather forcast for
proper and efficient moving of people and agricultural produce from the local
areas to city centre adding the SRP release would the very useful in this
regards.
Sen. Sirika
pointed that the importance President Mohammadu Buhari attached to the issue of
climate change is unmeasurable saying that “Federal Government is developing an
integrated inter-model transport system (air, land and water) that maximizes
the transportation of goods, raw materials and people.
This involves the construction
of aviation, rail and highway infrastructures that links major cities and
centres of economic activities. All these activities and programmes are
sensitive to weather and climate variability. In this age of frequent and
intense weather extremes, occasioned by global warming and climate change,
NiMet’ weather and climate prediction provides useful information for reducing
losses, and taking advantage of favourable weather conditions to achieve more
efficient and effective implementation of such programmes and projects. In the
agricultural sector for instance, I have been informed that emorical evidence
shows that the proper application of agro-metrological information to farming
could increase crop yield by up to 35 percent “
In
retrospect, Aviation Minister, state, Sen. Sirika pointed the impact of the
2012 flood disaster due to not taking NIMET prediction very serious saying that
“ our past experiences in Nigeria show that we are highly vulnerable to extreme
weather phenomena. For instance, the 1972/73 drought drastically reduced the
contribution of agriculture to GDP in Nigeria from 18.4% in 1971/1972 to 7.3%
in 1972/73.
It was also reported that about 300,000 animals representing 13% of
livestock population in the North East Nigeria at that time were estimated to
have died as a result of drought. The 2012 flood disaster directly affected 30
states in Nigeria, killed 363, injured 5,851 and displaced 3,871,053 persons
due to the resulting floods. The total value of destroyed physical and durable
assets caused by the floods in the most affected states was estimated to have
reached N1.48 trillion”
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