The Nigerian Government, in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme, and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has launched the Climate-Smart Agribusiness Partnership for Resilience (CSAPR) Project.
The Project aims to strengthen climate resilience and improve agricultural productivity across Nigeria.
The project, unveiled in Abuja, aims to integrate Climate Information Services (CIS) into agricultural value chains, enabling farmers, agribusinesses and investors to make informed decisions, manage climate risks and improve productivity.
Speaking at the launch, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, described the project as a strategic intervention aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that accurate and timely weather, climate and water information remains critical to sustainable agriculture and food security.
According to him, reliable climate intelligence enables farmers, agribusinesses, financial institutions, insurers, processors and investors to make informed decisions, reduce risks and protect investments.
Prof. Anosike also emphasised the need to simplify climate information into localised and actionable advisories, while strengthening public-private partnerships to expand access to climate services nationwide.
He reaffirmed NiMet’s commitment to supporting the initiative through its Seasonal Climate Prediction, agrometeorological bulletins, impact-based forecasts, early warning advisories and digital climate advisory platforms.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, also described the initiative as a significant step towards building a more productive, inclusive and climate-resilient agricultural sector.
He said the project would foster collaboration among government institutions, development partners, financial institutions, the private sector and farmer organisations to expand climate-smart agribusiness opportunities, unlock financing and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
Dr Ogunbiyi commended NiMet, IFAD, the Gates Foundation and other partners for their commitment to promoting climate-smart agriculture and resilient food systems, urging stakeholders to sustain the collaborative effort for greater impact.
The IFAD Country Director, Ms Dede Ekoue, commended the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for its leadership and acknowledged NiMet’s technical contributions to the project’s design.
She said the initiative would promote financially viable public-private partnerships that integrate Climate Information Services into agricultural value chains, helping farmers and agribusinesses adapt to climate variability while improving productivity, resilience and investment.
The National Programme Coordinator of the SAPZ Programme, Dr Kabir Yusuf, highlighted early milestones already achieved under the project, including the installation of automated weather stations in Ogun and Kano States, the commencement of climate information dissemination and the distribution of digital devices to leaders of farmer organisations to facilitate timely weather advisory services.
The CSAPR Project is expected to enhance climate resilience, strengthen food security and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers by embedding Climate Information Services into sustainable agribusiness solutions across the country.
