Nigerian Farmers Hit Hard by Effects of Climate Change

Nigerian Farmers
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By Elizabeth Achobe

In a recent interview with The Development Report, Akintola Akinyemi, Executive Director for Green-Climate Restoration Goal Initiative (GGI), Kwara State, Nigeria, shared his insights on the effects of climate change on Nigerian farmers.

According to Akinyemi, climate change poses a huge challenge to farmers across Nigeria, especially in the aspect of weather unpredictability. The environmental expert gave an example from August 2024, when farmers were expecting two weeks of drought. Many had prepared their fields in anticipation of the short dry season. However, the drought lasted for more than a month, which led to a significant economic loss. “Disgruntled farmers were arrested. They were prepared for a two-week drought, but when it extended for more than a month, it resulted in huge economic losses,” Akinyemi explained. He said this situation is not just a loss of crops or income but has deeper implications, including farmers’ mental health. “The psychological stress of seeing all your crops wither is enormous. It’s a threat to food security and the well-being of our farming communities,” he added.

Akinyemi also spoke about the Green Climate Fund, describing it as a crucial tool for mitigating and adapting to climate change, particularly in developing nations like Nigeria. He explained that Nigeria benefits from the Green Climate Fund through a program called the Agric Climate Fund, which is designed to bolster the country’s ability to engage in various climate actions. “The Green Climate Fund is the world’s largest climate financing initiative, and its aim is to support developing countries like Nigeria in tackling climate change,” he said. The fund, which operates in part through partnerships with other improvement groups, had a portfolio of $13.5 billion as of December 2023. But Akinyemi recounted that demanding situations continue to be. “Part of the trouble is the political interests concerned and the sincerity of the stakeholders. These can frequently gradual down the progress of such weather movement initiatives.”

Despite the scale of these challenges, Akinyemi emphasized the important role that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) play in addressing climate issues. He praised their efforts, saying, “No government can completely handle these issues alone, whether they are economic or ecological. NGOs are doing fantastic work in this area, working with governments to make progress.” He added that cooperation between government and NGOs is essential to attract international climate funds and implement effective climate policies. If more had already been achieved, perhaps the attention would shift elsewhere, but the fact is, we still have a long way to go in terms of actual implementation,” Akinyemi said.

One of the major issues highlighted by Akinyemi was the lack of accurate data to discuss the country’s climate concerns. He believes better data will improve Nigeria’s ability to generate revenue and enable effective climate action. “The absence of accurate information from government representatives prevents us from communicating our concerns effectively. Accurate information will go a long way in our efforts to strengthen international climate finance,” he urged notice.

Akinyemi also expressed concern about the gap between promises and tangible results. He acknowledged that while many promises have been made, the lack of measurable results remains a key challenge. “There have been many promises, but we all know that without results, those efforts have no basis. For example, we have seen global citizens take a record 3.4 million actions to end poverty and seek equality, but what do we have to do here in Nigeria means.” for that?” he asked, questioning the effectiveness of such efforts.

The private sector, Akinyemi believes, also needs to be more involved in climate action as he suggested that businesses, especially those operating in sectors like oil and gas, should align their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts more closely with sustainability goals. “Take Shell, for example. Yes, they offer scholarships, but how much of their CSR is aligned with sustainability? How much climate-related work have they done?” he asked. He did, however, commend a commercial bank for its recent initiatives to create climate awareness, noting that more companies need to follow suit.

Akinyemi praised Nigeria’s continuous efforts to reduce climate change through both the public and private sectors. He emphasised that the effort on sustainability and awareness is excellent and needs the full support of all branches of government. “Efforts by organisations and NGOs to develop a climate strategy are very important, and it is important that they get the support they need from every level of government,” the politician said.

Akinyemi’s comments highlighted the need for better efforts by the government and private sector, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to face Nigeria’s oncoming climate change challenge. Without which he said the nation’s food security, economy, and citizens’ well-being remain jeopardised.

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