Expert Condemns Neglect Of Rural Dwellers In Climate Change Interventions

An expert in climate change and development, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke has expressed dismay over the negligence of rural dwellers in intervention efforts on climate change adaptation and mitigation in Nigeria.

Okereke, who is the Director, Centre for Climate Change and Development, CCCD, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, (AEFUN-A), Ebonyi, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.

He spoke at the final stakeholders’ workshop organised to share the key findings of the project on understanding the effectiveness of local communities in taking necessary action through Locally-Led Adaptation , LLA, which started in 2022.

The LLA project was sponsored by the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) Berlin, Germany, in collaboration with the CCCD and the Department of Climate Change (DCC) Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigeria.

“It was worrisome that there was ‘over-concentration’ of intervention efforts at the national and sub-national levels at the negligence of rural dwellers who were sometimes the most vulnerable.

“The often-neglected rural dwellers possess potential such as intelligence and resourcefulness in innovating ways of adapting to climate change.

“These potential must not be overlooked by policy makers,” Okereke said.

Mal-adaptation
He also cautioned against mal-adaptation, which causes more problems in the bid to introduce adaptation strategies.

According to him, adaptation strategies should be context-specific and context-sensitive if they must effectively address existing problems.

He encouraged the capacity building of human resources through training and re-training so as to achieve country and community ownership for sustenance of project results and recommended practices.

Okereke quoted Dr Grace Mbungu, the Head of Climate Change Programme, APRI-Berlin, as saying  that “much work had been undertaken by individuals on climate adaptation with several climate change adaptation and mitigation plans and frameworks in Nigeria.”

Mbugu, however, noted that the status of available adaptation practices was not clear in the policy documents, thus no clear assessment of implementation gaps and locally led processes.

She advocated Nigeria’s adoption of a bottom-top approach during the decision-making process by the involvement of vulnerable communities and stakeholders in order to harness their ideas, local knowledge, and practices.

Through this strategy, Nigeria could mainstream locally-led adaptation, LLA, in its adaptation plans, which would ensure effective, efficient, and equitable adaptation action implementation.

Okereke also quoted the Director, DCC, and Dr. Iniobong Abiola-Awe, as expressing happiness on the high turn out to the workshop amidst the short notice.

Abiola-Awe, who represented the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, reiterated the impacts of climate change as experienced by everyone today in all aspects of life.

She added that there was the need to assess the adaptation strategies adopted by communities to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Dr. Eloka Okeke, Senior Research Fellow, APRI-Berlin, made a summary presentation of findings from the project. The ‘project focused’ on the experiences of the three case study communities, their “adaptive strategies, best practices and pathways, gaps, and challenges.”

The presentation elicited comments; and questions were received from participants, including passionate appeals to extend the project to the other parts of the country. Also, there were calls for the integration of climate change education into the curriculum of schools for improved awareness creation on climate change concepts and issues.

NAN/Shakirat Sadiq