The Society for Climate Action in Nigeria (SCAN), in collaboration with the University of Port Harcourt, has organized a workshop for women and youth leaders on smart farming practices to combat climate change, improve productivity, and enhance food security in the country.
The project lead for SCAN, who is a senior lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Extension and Development Studies at the University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Clara Ifeanyiobi, said the aim of the workshop was to equip farmers with adaptive skills on climate change.
Ifeanyiobi disclosed that the program is a micro-grant from the Adaptation Research Alliance to SCAN in collaboration with the University of Port Harcourt and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to support community trainings, adding that improved crop varieties like cassava stems and maize were also distributed to participants of the workshop drawn from the 23 local government areas of the state.
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She explained that when smart agricultural technology skills are incorporated into agribusiness, huge losses usually associated with climate change would be averted, while farmers’ livelihoods would also gain a positive turnaround.
“Today’s training is tailored to the identified areas of need, which are primarily in the area of crop and soil management practices for cassava, maize, and vegetable farming. This one is a lot bigger, having synergized with key agencies like the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
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“We are excited that there will be a huge turnaround in this year’s harvest. We’ve been in the business of equipping farmers with climate-smart agricultural practices for over 10 years, and our results from our target farmers have been quite laudable. Ifeanyiobi noted.
Another resource person, Dr. Doris Akachukwu, Senior Lecturer at the Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, urged the Federal Government to utilize agricultural resources in the country to tackle current food crises.
