Farmers Set To Benefit From Information Services

With prevailing weather
conditions caused by climate change now threatening food production in Africa in general and Nigeria in particular, new reports indicate that millions of farmers stand to benefit from climate information services.
According to a report carried out by the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), conference in Johannesburg, South Africa recently CCAFS climate services scientist Dr Arame Tall said it was encouraging to see climate information services emerging.
He said a number of experts were brainstorming to help farmers with strategies for coping with changing climate.
“They are allowing farmers to protect themselves from the effects of weather extremes. Such as droughts and floods” he said.
Dr Tall said the information would also enable farmers to take advantage of good and better conditions through the involvement of farmers in developing the climate services to their success.
The CCAFS report which featured 18 cases studied from Africa and elsewhere indicated that the benefitting countries took away a variety of approaches to climate services.
Such gains according to the report included the development of high quality location – specific data on temperature  rainfall, wind soil moisture and ocean conditions amongst others.
Co-author and leader of CCAFS climate research team, Dr James Hansen in his contribution said the increasing vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate risk was a major motivation for much of the recent interest and investment in climate services by farmers.
He said the study would not only help farmers to plan for tomorrow or the up coming season but also to help them be better prepared for climate change in 10,20,30 years onwards.
The conference which was hosted by the Forum for Agricultural Risk Management in Development (FARMD) reported attracted not less than 200 participants from the public and private sectors.
The Tide further gathered that countries are mobilizing community radio stations, government meteorological agencies, religious groups, agricultural extension agents, schools and farmer themselves to develop and distribute forecasts and farming strategies.