Onuigbo Calls For Climate-Smart Agriculture To Fight Climate Change In Agric Sector

The Chairman of the Security, Special Interventions, and Climate Change Committee of the Governing Board of North East Development Commission (NEDC), Sir Sam Onuigbo has decried the impact of climate change within the agricultural value chain, saying Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) provides a window of solution.

Speaking on “The future of African agriculture and the pressing Climate crises” at the first Conference On Accelerating Agricultural Adaptation In Africa in Abuja on Monday, Onuigbo a former member of the House of Representatives expressed concern that a large portion of the arable farmlands in the northeast region of Nigeria is being affected by climate change.

While underlining that agriculture is the mainstay of the people of that zone, the former member of parliament said, the impact of climate change in the region has led to drought, desertification, drying up of Lake Chad, loss of livelihoods, and forced migration which he said fuels insecurity and insurgency.

He said, “This is why the North East Development Commission (NEDC) where I am privileged to serve as the Chairman of the Security, Special Interventions, and Climate Change Committee of the Governing Board recognizes and prioritizes Agriculture as one of the pillars of the development agenda of the Commission to restore and sustain the livelihoods of the people of the zone. One approach to addressing climate change within the agriculture sector is Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA).

“As the organizers of this first-of-its-kind conference have highlighted, agriculture is not merely an economic sector; it’s a lifeline for millions of people, particularly women who are the backbone of African agriculture. It is, without a doubt, a linchpin in achieving the sustainable development goals set out by the African Union’s Vision 2063 and the United Nations’ Agenda 2030.

“The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned that Africa will bear the brunt of the unprecedented challenge from global climate change, and will consequently experience more frequent and intense heat waves, droughts, severe floods, storms, and wildfires, etc. which is likely to impact 90 percent of its population. These climate-induced disasters are causing food insecurity, forced migration, and pushing vulnerable communities to the brink.”

Sir Onuigbo while emphasizing that agricultural sector which is responsible for almost one-quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, is both a victim and a contributor to climate change, he appealed for efforts to address agricultural sector climate change.

He also expressed worry that this has become even more important even as climate change threatens to push 122 million more people into extreme poverty by 2030.