To address the growing impact of climate change on agriculture, Nigerian climate journalist Ibrahima Yakubu has called for the adoption of indigenous languages in educating farmers on climate-smart agricultural practices.
Yakubu, a seasoned science and environmental reporter with African Climate Reporters, emphasised this need following a recent field visit to rural farming communities in northern Nigeria.
Yakubu highlighted the pressing environmental challenges facing farmers, including unpredictable rainfall, prolonged droughts, soil degradation, and flooding.
He noted that these issues have significantly impacted crop yields and overall agricultural productivity. Alarmingly, many farmers remain uninformed about effective adaptation strategies due to language barriers and a lack of accessible information.
According to him, “Most of these farmers don’t speak English fluently, and scientific terms can be confusing.”
Yakubu said, “Communicating climate-smart practices and new agricultural techniques in Hausa makes it easier for them to grasp, trust, and implement what they learn.”
Farmers Speak: Local Media as a Lifeline
During an exploration of local media’s role in agricultural education, Yakubu found that many farmers are turning to Hausa language programs on radio and television as vital sources of information. These programs offer insights into modern agricultural techniques, pest management, irrigation strategies, and weather forecasts.
Malam Abdullahi, a rice farmer along the Kaduna River, expressed the value of these programs, stating, “Whenever we listen to farming programs on the radio in Hausa, we learn about new methods that help us protect our crops.”
He added that they have begun utilising compost and adjusting their planting schedules based on the advice shared in these broadcasts.
Despite the benefits of localised media, environmental degradation remains a pressing threat to farmers along riverbanks. Challenges such as riverbank erosion, deforestation, and siltation are destroying vast stretches of arable land, leading many families to abandon their traditional farming practices.
Climate Change: A Reality on the Ground
Farmers increasingly perceive the impact of climate change as a tangible threat to their livelihoods. Many reported declining yields in essential crops like maize, groundnuts, and cotton, pointing to irregular weather patterns and rising temperatures as contributing factors.
Aisha Danjuma, a female farmer from Kano, lamented, “In the past, we used to harvest plenty of groundnuts and millet, but now the rain is either too much or too little. Our harvests have dropped, and we don’t make enough profit anymore.”
The Way Forward: Expanding Climate Communication Through Local Languages
Yakubu insists that expanding climate communication initiatives in indigenous languages is crucial for empowering farmers. He called on policymakers, NGOs, and media organisations to invest in training journalists who report in local languages so they can deliver accurate and engaging content rooted in scientific evidence.
“There is a real gap in climate education at the grassroots level,” Yakubu stated.
“By bridging the language divide, we can help farmers not only understand the problems they face but also empower them to be part of the solution.”
He concluded his remarks by urging government agencies and development partners to prioritise community radio stations and mobile education campaigns, employing local dialects such as Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo. This approach aims to ensure that no farmer is left behind in the fight against climate change, ultimately fostering a more resilient agricultural sector in Nigeria.