By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The South West Zonal Coordinator of Nigeria Institute of Soil Science, ( SW- NISS) , Professor James Adediran on Thursday alerted that global warming is now a major threat to food production and supply in Nigeria .
Professor Adediran raised the alarm in Ibadan while speaking at a train – The – Trainer workshop on Climate smart Agriculture for extension agents and farmers in South West, Nigeria held at IAR&T. campus, Moor Plantation.
He stated that the effects of Climate Change is already posing serious challenge to agricultural systems including crops, livestock, forestry and fisheries and that the” effects of Climate Change vary with region, country and location and affect people differently depending on their vulnerability and capacity to adapt.
” Climate change otherwise termed Global warming has been known to threaten food production and supply. The effects of Climate Change has therefore posed a serious challenge to agricultural systems including crops, livestock, forestry and fisheries”, he said.
Professor Adediran added, ” it is therefore necessary to find ways out on how to meet these challenges, increase agricultural production and sustain food systems for affected region, country, location and communities”.
The NISS South West Coordinator stressed that as a way out of the threat, there is the need for a profound agricultural transformation, adding, ” the approach to mitigate or adapt to Climate Change requires site-specific strategies and responses”.
” It is clear that this can only be possible through a profound agricultural transformation. Such a transformation will involve a variety of stakeholders along the agricultural supply chains and at policy levels”.
According to Professor Adediran, “food producers will have to adapt their farming system techniques in the context of new climate conditions, and increasingly limited natural resources, while at the same time reducing GHG emissions.”
Declaring the training open, the IAR&T Executive Director, Professor Veronica Obatolu represented by the institute Deputy Director, Dr Olaide Saka tasked participants at the training to make good of the opportunities of the training.
