The federal government has expressed worry that the country remained highly exposed to the negative impacts of climate change and called for united efforts to mitigate its effects especially on food security.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, said climate change particularly affects women who constitute the most vulnerable among the farming communities.
Speaking at a workshop on Gender Mainstreaming into Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Women Farmers in the North Central Zone, he said efforts must be made to avoid and reduce emission of heat trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere to prevent the planet from warming to more extreme temperatures.
Represented by the ministry’s Director, Reform Coordination, Mrs. Gertrude Orji, the permanent secretary said, “Nigeria’s agriculture is most vulnerable and susceptible to the impacts of climate change. Indeed, it is rain-fed dependent.
Also, Director of Special Duties in the Ministry, Mrs. Fausat Lawal, said climate change triggers floods, droughts, rise in sea levels and affects the ecosystems and sources of livelihood, health, economy and cultural practices especially in agriculture.
On her part, Head, Gender Unit in the Ministry, Mrs. Ifeoma Anyanwu, stressed that the thrust of the National Gender Policy is to reduce the vulnerability of women in agriculture especially in their access to inputs, feeds, finance and information so that they can contribute meaningfully to agriculture.
