Food Security: NiMet, Sahel Consulting Sign MoU To Promote Agriculture

Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), with Sahel Consulting to build sustainable climate monitoring and address early warnings system bottlenecks for resilient agricultural systems in Nigeria that would ensure food security.

Yemi Adegoroye signed the MoU on behalf of Sahel Consulting and the consortium, while Professor Charles Anosike signed on behalf of NiMet.

Signing the MoU, the director general and chief executive officer of NiMet, Professor Charles Anosike said the importance of early warnings as a measure to protect citizens.

He said, “The importance of Early Warnings System cannot be overemphasised and we are willing to partner with any organisation that is capable of investing in preparedness. This will help protect our population who should and must be protected by early warnings of climate disaster”.

The climate early warnings project is to be executed by Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Limited, in collaboration with a consortium of implementing partners including The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and NiMet.

The project will include the provision of six Meteorological Automatic Weather Observation Systems (AWOS), in Nigeria and setting up of a Mapping Room. It will also include capacity development for staff of NiMet  and other government ministries, departments and agencies in Nigeria.

The implementation team includes members from International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) of Columbia University, New York, USA among others.