The impact of climate change on farming activities across the country is gradually being felt. Several farmers are currently at a crossroad on how to tackle this challenge, as weather patterns are no longer predictable, JOKE FALAJU reports.
A farmer from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Douglas Eke, also recounted how he was unable to participate in the wet season farming this year due to the delayed onset of rainfall. Based on this development, it was gathered that aside factors like insecurity, and the removal of fuel subsidy, which has negatively impacted cultivation of food crops, climate change is also playing a major role.
It was gathered that across every area, as the ecosystems are declining, communities are facing grave danger, and the future is increasing uncertainty. According to official government reports, the 2022 floods displaced over 1.4 million people, killed over 603 people, injured more than 2,400 people, destroyed 82,035 houses and inundated 332,327 hectares of land. The estimated economic loss occasioned by the flood was put at $9.12b or N4.2tr.
To mitigate these challenges, the Nigeria Socio Ecological Alternatives Convergence with the civil society organisations, frontline communities, activists and academics, came up with a chatter to serve a to-do-list to drive an alternative ecological blueprint for Nigeria. These measures have often been inefficient and insufficient to fully mitigate the impacts of floods, as when flood warnings are broadcast, there are no corresponding efforts to support communities in need of relocation and survival.