Stakeholders in the agricultural sector have said promoting climate resilience is critical to ensuring food security across Nigeria and Africa as a whole, especially for smallholder farmers who are most vulnerable to climate disruptions.

They also called for stronger collaboration and technological innovation to address the rising impact of climate change on Nigeria’s food systems, particularly livestock and crop production.

The stakeholders stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during a high-level symposium on “Climate Resilience in Action: Collaborative Approaches to Adaptation” organised by Michigan State University, African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), and Sahel Consulting.

The symposium brought together researchers, policymakers, development partners, and civil society organisations to chart a sustainable course for agricultural resilience amid growing climate challenges

Speaking, representative of AATF, Kayode Sanni, lamented that as climate disruption accelerates, its impact on Africa’s agricultural systems is becoming more severe and more personal.

According to him, this is felt most by smallholder farmers who rely on predictable seasons, fertile soil, and sustainable ecosystems to feed their families and the nations.

“These challenges disproportionately affect women and youth, who did not just make up the majority of our agricultural workforce, but also important for future food security.
At AATF, we are guided by a clear and urgent vision: A prosperous, resilient, food and nutrition secure Africa through technology.

“That vision is grounded in the belief that innovation must be inclusive, scalable, and rooted in partnership. Because the challenges we face are too vast for any single actor to confront alone.”, he said.

He said the organisation is currently partnering with Michigan State University, the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Benue State University, the Government of Gombe State, and the Cereal Growers Association of Kenya on a project focused on women- and youth-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the rice value chain.

Director-General and CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), called for strengthened collaboration among governments, businesses, civil society, and international partners to build climate resilience and safeguard Nigeria’s food security.

Anosike stressed the urgent need for a united response to the growing threats posed by climate change.

He noted that Nigeria, like many African nations, is already experiencing the harsh realities of climate disruption including erratic rainfall, drought, flooding, and extreme heat all of which he said severely impact agriculture, economic development, and citizens’ wellbeing.

While stressing the importance of technological investments as vital tools to reduce the impact of climate-related disasters, he said Artificial Intelligence (AI) is key in revolutionizing weather forecasting, enabling policymakers to develop better strategies for climate adaptation and mitigation.

According to him, data collection remains a significant challenge in Nigeria and the West African region.

Anosike revealed that over 60 per cent of weather data collection in the region is manual and conducted by non-professionals, leading to lower quality information.

On his part, Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, who was represented by his Special Adviser, Professor Eustace Iyayi, noted that the livestock sector is among the hardest hit by climate variability.

According to the minister, erratic rainfall, rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and the spread of transboundary diseases are threatening not only food security but also economic stability and social cohesion across Africa.”

Maiha argued that livestock, if strategically managed, could become a pillar of climate-smart adaptation and inclusive growth.

He revealed that the sector currently contributes five per cent to Nigeria’s GDP and supports over 30 million livelihoods, with the potential to scale up to 10 per cent.

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, noted that climate change, driven by human activity and deforestation, is rapidly accelerating desertification across northern Nigeria, with about 60 per cent of arable lands already under threat.

Represented by his Principal Private Secretary, Prof. Muazu Shehu, warned that this poses a danger to agricultural productivity and food security in the region.

The governor noted that Gombe State has experienced a sharp decline in forest cover, having lost nearly 90 per cent since 1980, which he said has increased the effects of desertification now encroaching at a rate of 0.6 kilometers per year.