NIMET Seeks Weather Monitoring Equipment For Farmers

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has solicited for financial support from stakeholders to enable it to meet, educate, and supply weather monitoring equipment to farmers.

Its General Manager, Agro-meteorology, Mr Godwin Ajaezi, made the plea in Abuja yesterday when he spoke with newsmen.

He said that the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) initiated the roving programme in order to educate farmers, especially in the rural areas on how to monitor rain and drought so as to be able to prepare for flood.

“Its a project being sponsored by other countries; now we are planning to see how we can domesticate it in this country where the minister of agriculture, environmental, all those economic sectors that are involved to assist.

“Because it involves capital; we need to get these equipment; we need manpower; we need resources to get it done.

“We have distributed over 260 rain gauges to farmers in Nigeria; next month we are planning to do e-roving seminar to distribute 100 gauges more and we have mapped out about three states where we are going to do this.

“In 2011 we distributed 100 rain gauges, last year we distributed 160 rain gauges, that makes it 260 rain gauges and this year we are planning to distribute 100 rain gauges that will make it 360 rain gauges.’’

Ajaezi said another importance of the roving seminars was to bring metrological information closer to farmers and to educate them on how to monitor the best farming seasons.

He said the rain gauges distributed helped to monitor soil moisture on the actual rainfall volume.

Ajaezi said more equipment could be supply to farmers if the agency got financial assistance, adding that it would also solve the problems of being caught unawares by flooding.