West Africa Network for Peace building (WANEP) with support from Oxfam in Nigeria has organized a one – day Stakeholders Engagement in Agricultural Resilience Framework with a view to promoting climate resilience and enhance food security in Bauchi State.
The workshop which was held at Chartwell Hotel and Suites,Bauchi Thursday has as its theme ” Connecting Our Achievements and Learning for Improved Strategy on Climate Resilience in Bauchi State”.
In a welcome address, the Program Manager of WANEP, Osariemen Amas Edobor said the objective of the Engagement was to review progress, gap and achievements in reducing climate vulnerability at the state -level since the development of National Agriculture Resilience Framework (NARF) as well as efforts made to domesticate the NARF’s policy guidelines at the local government area levels.
Edobor also stated that the workshop will enable stakeholders assess knowledge gaps existing among farmers on issues of climate change and form a critical mass if farmers that can provide adequate information and awareness on climate change in Agriculture.
The Program Manager added that that the stakeholders’ engagement will provide avenue for farmer associations to discuss and document indigenous adaptation options and mitigation plans of farming communities in the state saying that “the objective here at the end of the day is to secure Federal/State governments commitment on recommended actions towards climate resilience as well as improving coordination among stakeholders”.
According to her, “It is to foster/create participation and learning on adaptation and resilience strategies among relevant stakeholders as well as deepen understanding of the nexus between climate change, conflict, small scale farming and food security” .
Representative of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and President of the Association of Small- scale Agro Producers In Nigeria (ASSAPIN),Bauchi State chapter, Hajiya Amina Bala Jibrin in her remarks said that NARF’s policy guidelines was put in place as means to mitigate the negative effects climate change may have on agriculture in the country.
She however noted that “It is not a matter of setting agenda, but implementing our various good policies in the agricultural sector. There is the need for proper sensitisation, adequate information and awareness on climate change in the Agriculture sector to stimulate a system dynamics model around challenges and opportunities for agricultural production in the country”.
While highlighting the various indigenous adaptation and mitigation options for reducing climate risks,Hajiya Amina Bala Jibrin however emphasised the need to create more awareness and effective information dissemination in managing climate risks as it relates to food security.
Addressing participants on the Policy document – NARF and other related climate resilience framework, Professor Nasiru Murtala of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi said that the NARF policy focuses on the issues concerning climate change and its effect on agricultural production and food security in Nigeria.
According to him, ” Nigerian farmers,especially those in rural communities are exposed to some significant amount of vulnerability either from severe or extreme flood or drought, in the face the changing weather and this affects food production “.
The Agricultural specialist who lamented that farmers are yet to have sufficient knowledge on climate change information, called for effective coordination in increasing resilience of vulnerable communities in the state.
END
