Stakeholders have called on federal policymakers to prioritize climate change actions and increase responsiveness to climate-induced emergencies such as flooding and food security.
The call was made at the Climate Change Conference of Stakeholders organized by the Women Environmental Programme (WEP) in partnership with Christian Aid Nigeria.
The conference, held in Abuja as part of the Actions to Combat Climate Threats (ACCT) project, aims to promote sustainable agriculture and access to clean energy under Christian Aid’s Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Energy Programme (CCASE).
Dr. Priscillia Achakpa, WEP Global President, highlighted the impact of extreme climatic events such as droughts and desertification, which have reduced arable land, affected agricultural productivity, and increased poverty.
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She emphasized the need for government and non-governmental organizations to make policies, strategies, and plans climate and gender-sensitive to advance climate change actions.
Timothy Ojomah, Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, emphasized the importance of women’s involvement in climate mitigation and adaptation. He stressed the need to support women in overcoming climatic challenges to ensure food security in the state and Nigeria as a whole.
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Damaris Uja, WEP’s Manager for Monitoring and Evaluation, highlighted the severe impact of climate change on agriculture, which employs 70 per cent of the labor force in Nigeria. She explained that the ACCT project aims to enhance the resilience of women and vulnerable groups in three states and build the capacity of women and civil societies to advocate for increased investment in climate adaptation actions.
Uja also emphasized the importance of nature-based solutions, such as preserving and restoring peatlands, grasslands, and forests, which benefit both local livelihoods and global climate goals by acting as carbon sinks.
