By Faridat Salifu
The Enugu State Government has stepped up efforts to improve agricultural productivity by training farmers on climate prediction and the use of seasonal weather information in farming decisions.
The recent initiative, implemented through workshops across the state, is designed to help rural farmers better interpret weather forecasts and apply climate data to improve planning and reduce crop losses.
The programme was organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Industrialization in collaboration with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), with focus placed on the 2026 Seasonal Climate Outlook.
Officials said the training is aimed at closing the gap between scientific weather forecasting and practical farm-level decision-making, particularly in communities heavily dependent on rainfall agriculture.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Patrick Nwabueze Uburu, said the intervention forms part of the state’s broader strategy to modernise agriculture and strengthen food security through knowledge-based farming.
He explained that trained participants are expected to transfer the knowledge to other farmers in their communities, creating a multiplier effect across rural areas.
Uburu noted that a similar exercise conducted in the previous year helped farmers adjust planting calendars and improve responses to rainfall variations.
Experts who addressed participants warned that unpredictable rainfall patterns and rising temperatures continue to pose risks to agricultural output and rural livelihoods.
A university lecturer at the session stressed the importance of understanding rainfall onset, cessation periods and growing season length to guide effective planting decisions.
Meteorological officials from NiMet provided projections indicating earlier rainfall onset in southern Nigeria, alongside seasonal timelines meant to guide farmers in crop selection and planting schedules.
They also advised farmers to adopt improved soil and water management practices and diversify production systems to reduce vulnerability to climate shocks such as flooding and drought.
Local government representatives described the programme as timely, noting that improved access to climate information could enhance food production and support rural incomes.
Farmers who participated in the training said the sessions highlighted the importance of weather data in farming, describing it as a key input alongside seeds and fertiliser.
The workshops, held across different local government areas, are expected to support a gradual shift from subsistence farming toward more structured and climate-resilient agricultural practices in the state.
