By Stella Odueme
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, has revealed Federal Government’s proactive steps to move away from traditional burning practices to embrace modern agriculture techniques to protect soil health, improve yields, and reduce emissions.
The Permanent Secretary made this known at the Close-out workshop of the project: abatement of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP) in the Nigerian Agricultural Sector in Abuja.
He noted that the workshop was being convened under the theme: “Local Action, National Impact: Building Resilience through Climate-Smart Agriculture” was not merely the conclusion of a project cycle, rather marks an important milestone in Nigeria’s collective effort to confront climate change through practical, farmer-centered, and scalable agricultural solution-particularly in reducing short-lived climate pollutants that pose immediate risks to the environment, health, and food systems.
This project, implemented by Self Help Africa in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, with fundingofft from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, CCAC, exemplifies the power of strategic partnerships in translating global climate commitments into local action, he said in a statement on Monday.
According to him, Nigeria’s Climate Change Act of 2021 provides a clear legal and institutional framework for achieving low greenhouse gas emissions, climate-resilient development, and sustainable economic growth.
“Within this framework, agriculture occupies a strategic position, as it is both highly vulnerable to climate impacts and a significant source of methane and black carbon emissions.
“Nigeria’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) identify the agricultural sector as a priority for mitigation and adaptation-particularly through, reduction of methane emissions, improved residue management, and promotion of climate-smart agricultural practices,’ he stated.
‘This SLCP Abatement Project directly supports these national priorities and contributes meaningfully to the NDC Implementation Roadmap”, Dr. Ogunbiyi highlighted.
He explained that the Short-lived climate pollutants, especially black carbon from open field burning, and methane from rice cultivation and livestock system are among the most potent contributors to near-term global warming.
