By Nkechi Eze
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening food and nutrition security systems through enhanced collaboration with regional and international partners. This assurance was given during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) to NiMet Headquarters in Abuja.
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Professor Charles Anosike, who also serves as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), welcomed the delegation and underscored NiMet’s pivotal role in early warning systems, disaster risk reduction, and food security planning. He disclosed that NiMet works closely with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to downscale seasonal forecasts to the local level, enabling farmers to make informed decisions that boost productivity and mitigate climate risks.
Emphasising the urgency of a coordinated, science-based approach to tackling climate-induced food shocks, Professor Anosike shared the Agency’s work on the National Framework for Early Warning and Early Action, developed under the guidance of the WMO. The framework, he said, is designed to improve coordination among agencies involved in disaster risk reduction, food security, and climate resilience.
“This framework will be shared with all stakeholders to enhance synergy, eliminate duplication, and strengthen our collective response to climate and food-related emergencies,” Anosike assured.
The visiting delegation, led by Mr. Williams Massaoud, lauded NiMet’s role in delivering critical climate services and reaffirmed the importance of integrating meteorological data into national and regional food and nutrition security systems. He said the visit was part of the PRISISAN Project (Project for Strengthening and Innovating Food and Nutrition Security Information Systems), aimed at supporting countries in the Sahel and West Africa to build resilient and sustainable data systems for food crisis management.
Massaoud explained that the ongoing mission includes representatives from key institutions such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), and the Cadre Harmonisé Taskforce, all of whom are committed to bolstering regional efforts against food and nutrition insecurity.
In his closing remarks, Professor Anosike stressed the imperative of collaborative action, urging all stakeholders to unite in building a data-driven, integrated food security information system that can inform evidence-based policymaking and long-term resilience.
“With the right partnerships and coordinated efforts, we can significantly improve our preparedness and response to food insecurity across Nigeria and the broader Sahel region,” he said.
