The African University of Science and Technology (AUST) in partnership with the Centre for Climate Change and Agro Preciso Limited has signed a memorandum of understanding as part of efforts to facilitate training of farmers on how to manage the effect of climate change.
The president of the AUST, Prof. Azikiwe Peter Onwualu while speaking during the signing of the MoU in Abuja yesterday said one of the reasons for the partnership was to find a way to use the knowledge that is available especially within the knowledge centre to impact farmers and the people in the agriculture value chain.
He said, “This will help the farmers understand what climate change is, what causes it, and even help identify harmful products that can cause climate change”
“This is a way of improving the knowledge of the Nigerian farmers in the area of climate-smart agriculture. In other words, agricultural practices that understand climate change and that is able to adapt.”
He further said another reason for the partnership is to make farmers understand why there is climate change and how they can help tackle it to reduce the effect on their production.
Onwualu said the partnership will be tailored in a way that they at the academia will be teaching the theories while Agro Preciso will be teaching the practical aspects to the farmers.
When asked how the programme will be funded, the president said, “When the resources are available, the programme will be funded by them but if not, funds will be sourced from donor agencies, developmental agencies like the Bank of Industry, Central Bank of Nigeria.”
He noted that State governments, corporate and private agencies will be approached for funding.
The managing director of Preciso, Lawal Nurudeen, in his remarks lauded the Centre for Climate Change and the AUST for their commitment to the programme.
Nurudeen recounted the loss farmers incurred in Lokoja where farmers saw all their rice plants lost due to the flooding that occurred late last year.
He said, “What impacted this drive was our experience in the field. We got our fingers burned and we know where it hurts.
“We know where the farmers are feeling the heat. Just recently we cultivated about 35 acres of rice in Kogi and as I speak we could not harvest even a bowl of rice because of the climate shock. What it means is that what went into that farm has gone down the drain.”
He said he wants to make sure farmers don’t have to pass through such experience and believes that with this partnership, it is achievable.
He said the manpower and experience and in the long run, the farmers and the nation will benefit, he added.
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