Propcom+ Trains Journalists On Climate-Smart Agriculture

The UK government-funded programme, Propcom+, has trained journalists from northern Nigeria, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Lagos on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) reporting.

At a 3-day training held in Yola, the country representative of Propcom+, Dr Adiya Ode, explained that the programme was aimed at transforming Nigeria’s rural economy by addressing environmental and socio-economic challenges in the country’s food and land-use system.

She further explained that the programme, funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), is an eight-year (2023–2030) initiative designed to transform Nigeria’s agricultural and land-use systems into resilient and sustainable engines of growth.

According to her, the project would increase productivity, improve nutrition and food security, enhance climate resilience, pursue lower emissions, protect and restore nature.

She added that it will also tackle some of Nigeria’s underlying drivers of conflict and insecurity and reduce emissions in poor and fragile parts of Nigeria.

The country representative disclosed that Propcom+ is aimed at increasing the incomes and climate resilience of 3.79 million poor and vulnerable people in Nigeria, 50 percent of whom will be women.

Dr Ode reiterated that the programme is also aimed at enabling smallholder farmers and rural enterprises to improve their incomes while adapting to climate pressures.

In his presentation titled, “The Role of Media in Climate-Smart Agriculture Reporting and Advocacy,” the lead facilitator, Adam Alqali, described journalists as “partners in resilience,” stressing that they must remain committed to reporting in an accurate, inclusive and impactful way.

He noted that journalists hold the power to shape public discourse and influence policy, positioning them as key agenda setters for Nigeria’s climate-smart agriculture (CSA) future.

Alqali further advised participants to embrace engaging storytelling techniques when reporting on CSA.