AATF, NiMET, others seek unified climate action to safeguard agriculture in Africa

The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), in partnership with the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Michigan State University, and Sahel Consulting, is spearheading a regional initiative to improve climate resilience among small agri-businesses across Africa, particularly in Nigeria’s rice value chain.

The initiative, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was unveiled at a climate adaptation conference in Abuja themed “Climate Resilience in Action: Collaborative Approaches to Adaptation.” It focuses on providing Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)—especially those led by women and youth—with climate-smart decision support systems to guide farming practices amid increasing climate variability.

AATF’s Executive Director, Dr. Canacius Kanangire, represented by Dr. Kayode Sanni, emphasized that the project integrates agronomic best practices, soil health, and climate data to boost productivity and livelihoods. The current phase covers three Nigerian states, with calls for expansion to more regions.

Also speaking, NiMet’s Director-General, Prof. Charles Anosike, highlighted the importance of embedding climate data in development planning. He stressed the need for wider deployment of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) and mobile-based early warning tools to deliver real-time support to farmers.

As part of ongoing efforts, NiMet also issued a weather alert predicting moderate to heavy rainfall across 14 Nigerian states between May 28 and May 30, urging farmers and residents to take precautions due to potential flash flooding, strong winds, and road disruptions.
Source- The Nation

Expert Review for Agri-Food Stakeholders
The Abuja conference signals a significant pivot towards climate-smart agricultural adaptation, particularly for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) operating in Nigeria’s food system. With climate shocks increasingly threatening productivity and profitability, especially in the rice value chain, this collaborative initiative co-led by AATF and partners comes at a critical time.

Here are five key implications for agri-food stakeholders:

1. MSMEs as Priority Actors
   The focus on women- and youth-led MSMEs acknowledges their pivotal role in local food systems. These groups are typically underserved in policy and investment frameworks but are central to innovation and resilience building across rural economies.

2. Data-Driven Decision Support for Agriculture
   The Climate Smart Decision Support System being deployed equips farmers and agri-entrepreneurs with access to weather data, soil health insights, and good agronomic practices—an essential step in enabling adaptive farming. Stakeholders, especially aggregators and processors, should begin integrating these tools into their operations and outreach models.

3. Technology Infrastructure and Early Warning Systems
   With over 60% of climate data still manually collected in Nigeria, the planned expansion of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) and mobile alert systems presents a scalable opportunity to digitally empower farmers. Agri-service providers and tech platforms should prepare to plug into this network to deliver real-time advisory services.

4.  Localized Collaboration for Greater Impact
   The involvement of institutions like UNN, BSU, and Gombe State Government shows the potential of local-global partnerships in driving climate resilience. State-level stakeholders should consider replicating this model to attract donor investment and build capacity around localized climate services.

5.  Anticipating Short-Term Weather Risks
   With NiMet forecasting heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding in 14 states—including Kogi, Niger, Abia, and FCT—agribusiness actors must activate their risk mitigation protocols. Logistics firms, aggregators, and input suppliers should prepare for possible supply chain disruptions and communicate proactively with farming partners.

Conclusion
For Nigeria’s agricultural sector to weather the effects of climate change, public-private collaboration must go beyond discussion to deployment. Stakeholders should leverage this emerging climate intelligence infrastructure to build resilient, inclusive, and technology-enabled food systems that can adapt in real-time—and ultimately scale.