By; ABDULL-AZEEZ AHMED KADIR, Kaduna.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned the general public against the consequences of the Nigeria Metrological Agency, NIMET’s 2016 Annual Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) containing rainfall pattern and temperature outlook as well as the possible socio-economic implications for the country especially the north west states.This year’s annual SRP predicts rain pattern and temperature outlook with late on-set of the season, lower than normal rainfall, early cessation and more frequent dry spell which will led to crop failure by the month of May to July 2016.The disclosure was made by NEMA North West Zonal Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Ilallah at a stakeholders preparedness meeting held at the agency’s conference room in Kaduna during the week.The Zonal Coordinator lamented that the implications of the SRP are predictively negative due to extreme weather conditions and may result in Crop Failure, Drought (Threat to food security, Threats to human/livestock/animals lives), Health issue and Flood among others.However, Alhaji Musa Ilallah charged agric extension workers on the need to embark on a massive enlightenment /awareness campaigns for farmers to embark on dry season farming and provide farmers with early maturing seedlings and crops for this year’s rainy season. He also advised states ministries of agriculture and resources to build more earth dams or/and rehabilitate existing for all year round farming. He further advised ministries of agriculture to embark on mass planting of trees in all nooks and crannies of the zoneHe stated that adoption of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategies against flood, drought, and desertification and effective collaboration among stakeholders through team work and enforcement of laws/legislation will aid in curbing the anticipated menace.
