Senator Abubakar Kyari, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, has urged the establishment of community-level agricultural insurance and weather advisory services to boost resilience against climate change impacts on smallholder farmers.
Represented by Dr. Deola–Tayo Lordbanjou, Kyari spoke at the Agricultural Insurance and Climate Advisory Round Table in Abuja, emphasizing that timely weather updates and insurance coverage are essential for safeguarding farmer investments, sustaining productivity, and advancing the nation’s food security goals.
Acknowledging climate-induced risks such as floods and droughts, Kyari noted these services could support a shift from subsistence to market-oriented farming.
In his words, “The importance of insurance cover for farmers cannot be overemphasized as this can help to protect investments, increase productivity, and improve farmers’ livelihoods, which will in turn aid the country in achieving its food security objectives.
“There is also the growing frequency and severity of flood, drought, and other environmental disasters arising from climate change. Farmers are particularly vulnerable to these disasters, which sets them back each time they occur by wiping off their investments.
“The Ministry is resolved to develop the agricultural sector towards the attainment of the objectives of SDGs especially those of zero hunger and to improve sustainable agricultural practices.
“Agricultural investments must be protected and market-oriented for us to be able to move away from the subsistence farming being practised by our smallholder farmers.’’
The event gathered key stakeholders, including USAID and Winrock International, who pledged ongoing support for agricultural growth in Nigeria.
Jean-Pierre Rousseau, Director of Winrock International, affirmed the transformative potential of these services, with USAID’s Feed the Future Programme aiming to fortify Nigeria’s agriculture sector.
Meanwhile, Nigeria continues to grapple with significant food losses along its agricultural supply chain, with around 50% of produce being wasted before it even reaches consumers.
This alarming figure was revealed by Ibrahim Ishaka, a Food System and Nutrition Specialist at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations.
He made the disclosure during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on the sidelines of an FAO-organised training program in Yola, Adamawa State, recently.