HEDA, NiMet Train 500 Farmers On Seasonal Climate Predictions

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) in partnership with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has conducted training for over 500 farmers and extension workers in 10 states on seasonal climate predictions.

This is contained in a statement by Sulaimon Arigbabu, the executive secretary of HEDA, on Sunday in Lagos.

Arigbabu said the training extended to the staff of the Agricultural Development Programmes (ADP) was supported by Oxfam through the African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) project.

Arigbabu said the primary objective of the workshop was to equip small-scale farmers, extension workers, and ADP staff with crucial information for the upcoming farming season.

He added that participants were trained on utilising downscaled Seasonal Climate Predictions and Crop Weather Calendars.

“We are thrilled to work with NiMet and our partner Oxfam under the AACJ project to deliver this critical training.

“We have engaged participants from all local governments across the 10 states to ensure widespread dissemination of this valuable information.

“Significantly, the growing seasons for each state are as follows: Nasarawa: April 30 – October 27 (203 days); Kwara: April 30 – October 25 (180 days); Oyo: April 10 – November 29 (231 days); Benue: April 24 – November 1 (189 days); Osun: April 10 – November 30 (233 days).

“The predicted growing season in Niger state is from May 9 to November 8 (184 days); Ogun state is March 31 to December 1 (249 days); for Plateau, it is from May 19 – November 9 (186 days); Adamawa state’s length of the growing season is from April 21 – November 1 (193 days); and for Ekiti state, it is between April 13 and November 27 (227 days),” Arigbabu said.

He said that providing access to climate predictions and crop weather calendars would improve agricultural practices and enhance the well-being of farming communities across the country.

According to him, the training organised by HEDA and NiMet, reflect a longstanding collaboration aimed at ensuring farmers have access to NiMet’s seasonal climate predictions and crop weather calendars.

He added that the initiative would strengthen the agricultural sector and support farming communities through improved climate prediction and planning resources.

He said the training held in Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, Benue, Adamawa, Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, Ekiti, and Osun states – provided essential training on climate predictions and crop weather calendars to over 500 participants.