Agriculture
Researchers Empower Farmers With Information On Climate Change
In a bid to ensure food sufficiency in Nigeria, researchers from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, (FUNAA) have began sensitisation of farmers on climate information services for early warning system on climate change in the south-west.
The unveiling of the research work aimed at assisting farmers to prepare against the impacts of climate change held in Abeokuta, has stakeholders from the six states of the southwest in attendance
The project trained 1,440 farmers from 70 villages across the six states on smart farming with access to early warning systems and information dissemination platforms.
Through the research outcome, the farmers also have access to weather information websites, online radio and other small phone enabled applications aimed at providing useful information on farming activities.
Additionally, the researchers will also launch an application to assist the farmers in navigating climate conditions towards planning for their planting seasons and times.
While speaking, the Lead Researcher, Dr. John Oyedepo, Deputy Director, Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research, FUNAAB, said the research, sponsored by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) was to assist the country in achieving food security and improve the economic status of the farmers.
He hinted that the sensitisation was to prepare farmers with alternatives to training as a source of farming, adding that the project also provided opportunities on how to farm better during the dry season.
According to the Lead Investigator on Early Warning and Climate Information Service, farming during dry seasons provide more yield because of less cloud cover, fewer weeds and fewer pests, adding that countries with less than two months of rainfall like Israel have food security and also export.
Explaining the details of the project, Oyedepo said the researchers were planning to send a policy document to the Federal Government towards ensuring the sustainability of the project which, he said, was in six phases.
“In this part of the world, our farmers depend on rain. For instance, now, many of them are not going to the farms yet because they don’t know what the rain pattern will be for this year, but we can’t continue to wait for the rain. A nation that is rain-fed cannot feed itself because the rain can be erratic.
“When we saw that problem, the farmers do not know when to go to the farm, when to come out of the farm, the onset and cessation of rain is not certain, and we thought we need to give them a kind of intervention and that is by putting in their hands something they can use to look at the weather and then plan their planting activities.
“Fortunately, we got support from TETFUND and that has taken us to six states where we have established ‘climate-smart villages’, trained the farmers on the climate-smart agricultural practices. We have developed a mobile App that will help them predict or forecast the weather in real-time.
“We are also thinking of sending policy documents to the government so that this will not just end here, but something the government can support and put in yearly budget for continuity”, he said.
Speaking further about the N40 million project, he said: “In it, we established the early warning system, ground receiving station connected with geo-Netcasting in Germany, because we need quality data to be able to advise the farmers, reliable data, so we loaded the data in conjunction with the NiMet in Abuja and other institutions around this place like OAU, and other Institutions. We came together and you will see that the project was divided into six parts.
“The first is the socio-economic aspect of it, you must know the baseline problem of farmers before you bring in any solution to them; we also develop a ground receiving station where you get quality data; we must disseminate the data, and that is why we bought those smart phoned, and from our analysis, we discovered that most of these farmers are using these smartphones, all they need is for us to train them to use it in solving their problems.
“The other thing we also did was to give them other interventions like the drip irrigation kit to demonstrate to them how to use them in case we have prolonged drought, they will be able to go to the farm and still produce something”.
This the farmers attributed to inadequate pest control facilities, lack of in-depth managerial skills, crisis, Climate control and other factors.
These were the observations of the farmers during the training of 6000 Cassava farmers and facility tour both at Fashola Agribusiness hub and Iseyin.
The training was coordinated by the African Agricultural Technology (AATF) Foundation and National Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Abia state, funded by Germany based Foundation.
The project coordinator of AATF, Samuel Ogunleye said the training has benefited the farmers immensely.
According to him, ‘the training is designed to benefit 6,000 Cocoa farmers in the 33 local government areas of the state.
‘The programme was incubated in 2023 but inaugurated in 2024. The programme has taken place in Ido and Ibarapa areas with the training of over 1,200 farmers.
‘Today similar programme is taking place here in Iseyin with over 2,000 farmers in attendance.
Farmers are being trained on how to increase their output as well gets it to the market through modern technology.
‘In Iseyin, there is a modern Cassava processor machine aimed at easing the processes.
‘The local farmers have access to the processor at a subsidize rate. Also, the foundation is assisting them at getting their products to the market”.
In his own presentation, the team leader, National Root Crops Research Institute, Dr. Adeyemi Olojede said the training was designed to address the decline in the
production of Cassava nationwide.
He said: ‘The training is designed for the off season in order to allow active participation of farmers.
‘Some of the challenges confronting the farmers are tabled while the solutions are proffered.
On the issue of funding, the University don blamed successive administrations in the Country for paying lip service to the sector.
According to him, the Research Institutes in the Country have not been able to access the Budget in the past five years.
The researchers are using their personal contacts to access funds from local and international organization to carry out research.
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Lagos State Chapter, has lauded the Federal Government’s approval of 57 crop varieties to strengthen agricultural productivity in the country.
The Lagos State AFAN Chairman, Mr Sakin Agbayewa, disclosed this in an interview with the Newsmen, Wednesday in Lagos.
Reports said that in March 2026, the Federal Government approved 57 new improved crop varieties to boost food security, improve nutrition, and strengthen agricultural productivity.
The crops, selected for early maturity, higher yields, and resistance to pests and diseases, include 14 different types of staples, with notable advancements in rice, maize, yam, soybean, and plantain.
Agbayewa noted the approval of the crop varieties would help improve the yields of farmers in the state.
“We are excited to hear about the 57 new varieties of crops recently approved.
“What we desire currently in crop farming is not just about planting, it is about increased yield.
“A farmer can have a plot of land and have a high yield and another can have big plots of land and have a low yield.
“So, if when are talking about food security, it starts from the varieties you are planting and it starts from the seedlings”, Agbayewa said.
He described the introduction of the crops as a new development for crop cultivation.
“This newly approved 57 crop varieties should however be popularised among local farmers because not everyone is aware of this latest development.
“There are lots of issues currently affecting the cultivation of crops and the development of improved crop varieties will help the farmer’s productivity.
“Issues such as climate change effects, inconsistent rainfall patterns and weather clash among others are affecting farmers’ yield,” he said.
Agbayewa said there should be massive advocacy of the approved crop varieties across the board for farmers, adding, “The government is now waking up to their responsibility. So, we are”
The event, with the theme “Aligning Science, Enterprise, and Policy to Scale Insect-based Feed Solutions,” brought together policymakers, researchers, regulators, private investors, and BSFL farming entrepreneurs to map out strategies for integrating insect protein into Nigeria’s agricultural system.
According to him, black soldier fly larvae can feed on organic waste including market and kitchen refuse and develop into high-protein feed within 10 to 14 days.
“It contains about 40 to 45 per cent protein, making it a viable alternative to some protein source feed ingredients in poultry, fish, and pig feed ration if produced sustainably” he said.
Amole noted growing interest from feed manufacturers, stressing that supply, not demand remains the major constraint
“The question now is who can produce at commercial scale,” he added.
He also highlighted Nigeria’s comparative advantage, citing its tropical climate and abundant organic waste, which support year-round production without the need for expensive temperature control systems.
He however emphasised the need for standardisation to ensure consistency in nutrient quality and safety across producers.
Also speaking, a Senior Scaling and Innovation Expert from the institutes ‘headquarters in Nairobi, Dr. Ijudai Jasada, identified fragmentation within the BSFL value chain as a major barrier to scale.
“We need a coordinated system that connects all actors and reduces inefficiencies,” he said.
Stakeholders at the Roundtable reached a consensus that ILRI should take the lead in establishing and championing a national platform on BSFL.
Jasada said plans are underway to establish a national coordination platform to improve collaboration, attract investment, and support long-term growth of the sector.
He said the goal is to integrate insect-based feed into Nigeria’s mainstream feed industry by 2030, while creating employment opportunities for women and youth.
On capacity development, Prof. Cordelia Ifeyinwa Ebenebe of Nnamdi Azikiwe University acknowledged ongoing training efforts by development partners and institutions but warned that Nigeria’s regulatory framework for insect-based feed remains underdeveloped.
She noted that standards are still evolving and are expected to align with benchmarks being developed by the African Organisation for Standardisation.
Similarly, Prof. Olugbenga Adeniran Ogunwole stressed the importance of safety assurance and regulatory clarity, warning that policy gaps could hinder large-scale adoption.
He identified key challenges, including variability in nutrient composition, digestibility concerns linked to chitin content, and relatively high production costs.
A BSFL producer, Mr. Kolawole Ogunleye, said large-scale production remains difficult due to limited access to equipment, financing, and infrastructure, adding, “The process is labour-intensive, and most of the equipment is still imported,” he said.
From the private sector, Mr. John Amole, Country Representative of New Generation Nutrition (NGN), described insect protein as a growing but still underutilised solution in Nigeria.
He noted that although insect meal has been approved as a feed ingredient, it has yet to gain widespread market acceptance.
“There is interest, but the ecosystem is still developing, and there are no guaranteed off-takers,” he said.
Sharing international experience, Ms Talash Huijbers of InsectiPro, Kenya, highlighted the success of circular economy models that convert organic waste into protein and fertiliser.
The roundtable concluded with key recommendations, including the establishment of a clear legal framework for insect-based feed, financial incentives for startups, standardised substrates, integration into national waste management systems, and increased funding for research and extension services.