The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has disclosed its readiness to prioritize agriculture as one of the pillars of the development agenda of the commission, stating that it is the surest way to restore and sustain the livelihoods of the people of the zone.
The Chairman, Security, Special Interventions, and Climate Change Committee of the NEDC Governing Board, Sir Sam Onuigbo, disclosed this while delivering his goodwill message at the Continental Hotel in Abuja during the Conference on Accelerating Agricultural Adaption in Africa.
NEDC was established in 2017 to coordinate all intervention programs and initiatives directed towards the rehabilitation, integration, and resettlement of victims of terrorism, as well as tackle the menace of poverty, illiteracy, and ecological challenges in the North-Eastern states.
Farmers Receives Insurance Payout Claims to Cushion Adverse Weather Conditions
The NEDC board chairman noted that the North East geopolitical zone is very rich in agriculture due to the availability of fertile arable land that occupies one-third of the country’s land mass, while lamenting the impacts of climate change in the region, which include drought, desertification, drying up of Lake Chad, loss of livelihoods, and forced migration that fuels insecurity and insurgency.
Onuigbo, who represented Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023, noted that as the sponsor of Nigeria’s Climate Act and an advocate for climate change awareness, he can’t overemphasize the relationship impact of climate change in agriculture.
Expert Urges Youths and Women to Take Agriculture as a Serious Business
He explained that agriculture and food security can no longer be seen in isolation from climate action since the agricultural sector is not only responsible for almost one-quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions but also a victim and a contributor to climate change.
“Therefore, today, I stand before you to address a matter of utmost importance: the future of African agriculture and the pressing climate crises. 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.”
