By Awyetu Asabe Hope
The Cross River State Government has raised fresh concerns over looming floods and worsening environmental degradation, urging farmers to urgently adjust their practices as climate pressures intensify across Nigeria.
The warning follows projections by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, which indicate that the state will experience above-average rainfall in 2026—heightening the risk of flooding, particularly in vulnerable coastal and low-lying communities.
Speaking in Calabar on Thursday, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Johnson Ebokpo, said the situation demands “immediate and coordinated action, warning that failure to act could disrupt farming cycles and threaten food security.
Data from NiMet shows that coastal parts of Cross River may receive between 1,800mm and 2,200mm of rainfall, while inland areas could record up to 1,800mm.
More critically, flood risks are projected to surge by 30 per cent between August and September, with an additional 20 per cent increase expected towards the end of the rainy season.
Beyond the numbers, the forecast signals deeper disruptions earlier-than-usual rains, delayed dry seasons, and shifting planting calendars—factors that could leave unprepared farmers exposed to heavy losses.
Ebokpo urged farmers to begin cultivation early to avoid peak flood periods, while also adopting climate-smart practices such as intercropping and integrated pest management to cushion the impact of erratic weather conditions.
He specifically recommended combining legumes like cowpea and soya beans with staple crops including maize, cassava, rice, and yam, as well as integrating tree crops such as cocoa, coffee, plantain, and oil palm at early growth stages.
However, the government’s advisory raises broader questions about preparedness at the community level.
While farmers are being urged to adapt, concerns remain over access to extension services, climate information, and resources needed to implement these strategies effectively.
The development comes amid a wider federal alert warning that several states could witness heavy rainfall and possible flooding between April 8 and April 12, underscoring the growing urgency of climate resilience measures nationwide.
As extreme weather events become more frequent, experts say the gap between policy warnings and on-ground action may determine the scale of impact on Nigeria’s agriculture—and ultimately, its food security.
