By Abbas Nazil
African governments have been urged to strengthen food systems and adopt climate-resilient policies to address the growing threat of climate change to agriculture and food security across the continent.
The call was made during the third Distinguished Public Lecture of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, where scholars, policymakers, traditional rulers, security chiefs and community leaders gathered to discuss the impact of climate change on food production in Africa.
Delivering the lecture titled “Climate Change and Food Security in Africa: Impact on Agriculture, Access and Adaptation,” the Vice-Chancellor of Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology (EBKUST), Sierra Leone, Prof. Edwin Julius Jeblar Momoh, said African countries must prioritise policies that improve agricultural resilience and strengthen food systems in the face of worsening climate conditions.
Momoh identified fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, industrial emissions and unsustainable farming practices as key drivers of climate change.
He noted that while Africa contributes only a small proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions, it remains one of the regions most severely affected by climate change because agriculture, which provides livelihoods for millions of people, is highly dependent on stable weather conditions.
According to him, rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, flooding, erosion and desertification continue to reduce agricultural productivity and threaten food availability across many African countries.
He recommended a combination of adaptation and mitigation strategies, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adopting the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus approach, promoting climate-smart agriculture and developing food systems capable of withstanding climate shocks.
The scholar also advocated greater investment in crop varieties and livestock breeds that are resistant to drought, flooding and extreme heat to improve agricultural resilience.
Momoh further called for expanded ecosystem monitoring networks, wider adoption of nature-based solutions, stronger climate information services, increased research funding and the use of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to improve productivity and support climate adaptation.
He stressed that sustained government commitment, investment in research institutions, improved market access, social protection programmes and gender inclusion would play vital roles in building resilient food systems capable of adapting to climate change.
Speaking at the event, the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Fortune, Igbotako, Oba Prof. Sunday Amuseghan, described the lecture as timely, saying it offered an opportunity for stakeholders to reflect on practical solutions to climate-related challenges affecting Africa.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of OAUSTECH, Prof. Temi Ologunorisa, encouraged Nigerians to plant more trees to reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and improve environmental and public health.
He explained that increased tree planting would absorb carbon emissions associated with global warming while releasing oxygen that supports healthier living and contributes to environmental sustainability.
The event also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between OAUSTECH and Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology, Sierra Leone, to strengthen academic collaboration, research and institutional partnership between the two universities.
A commemorative plaque, scroll and souvenir were presented to Prof. Momoh in recognition of his lecture, while the Chairman of the occasion and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of EBKUST, Prof. Enoch Iortum, also received commemorative scrolls and souvenirs in appreciation of their contributions to the event.