By Grace Ademulegun
To lessen the negative consequences of climate change on food security, the National Agricultural Extension Research and Liaison Services (NAERLS) has called for the introduction of insurance coverage for farmers.
Prof. Yusuf A. Sani, Executive Director of NAERLS, made the call on Monday, December 2, at the 2024 National Agricultural Extension Review and Planning Meeting at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The three-day conference, with the title, “The Climate Change: Rethinking Agricultural Research, Extension, and Cropping Patterns in Nigeria,” aims to organise Nigerian farming methods for sustainability, resilience, and adaptation, while addressing the issues that climate change presents to agriculture.
Prof. Sani expressed the need for NAERLS to take the lead in educating farmers about climate-resilient farming practices, saying, “Modern technologies and climate-smart agriculture must be taught to extension workers,” stressing that such workers serve as the vital conduit between scientific understanding and grassroots initiatives.”
In order to adapt farming practices to the new climate realities, the professor emphasised the necessity of a paradigm shift, calling for investments in irrigation infrastructure, water harvesting technology, and water-efficient practices in addition to such methods as conservation agriculture, agroforestry, and intercropping to improve soil health.
Prof Sani also emphasised the significance of strong policy and teamwork, pointing out that no one institution can address the issues on its own.
The NAERLS executive director urged legislators to give financing for climate-resilient farming projects top priority, guarantee farmers’ access to reasonably priced inputs, and put insurance programs in place to shield farmers from climate-related hazards.