As climate change continues to reshape Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, farmers are increasingly urged to adopt climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices to secure their livelihoods and contribute to food security. These practices, recommended by experts and backed by global institutions, aim to make farming more resilient to unpredictable weather patterns while improving productivity and reducing emissions.
Nigeria’s reliance on rain-fed agriculture makes it particularly vulnerable to climate variability. According to a 2023 report by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), irregular rainfall, prolonged droughts, and increased heatwaves have significantly reduced the growing season in several regions. These changes have already led to lower yields, especially in staple crops like maize and millet.
To tackle these challenges, experts are advocating for practices such as adjusting planting calendars, adopting drought-resistant seed varieties, and implementing water-efficient irrigation systems. These form the core of CSA—a concept promoted by institutions like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and adapted into national strategies by the Nigerian government.
Recent research published in the Journal of Agricultural Extension shows that many farmers in Kogi State have begun to adjust planting dates, practice mixed cropping, and plant more trees as part of adaptive strategies. The study found that over 79% of respondents changed their planting calendar, while 88% adopted mixed cropping as a buffer against climate-induced losses.
In Plateau State, a study published by Big Data in Agriculture highlighted that 87.8% of vegetable farmers had adopted irrigation systems to mitigate dry spells. Moreover, 70.7% had embraced the use of improved seed varieties, which are better suited to withstand heat and water stress.
However, adoption is not uniform across Nigeria. Factors such as access to credit, education, extension services, and membership in farmer cooperatives play a significant role. According to a study in the African Journal of Agriculture and Food Science, farmers who are part of agricultural associations are more likely to adopt CSA due to shared knowledge and pooled resources. Additionally, findings from FUDMA Journal of Sciences suggest that farmers with higher education levels and access to information are significantly more responsive to climate-smart innovations.
Still, several challenges remain. Inadequate extension services, high input costs, and lack of climate-related education are limiting factors. A policy review published in the Nigerian Journal of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology points to gaps in Nigeria’s implementation of its National Adaptation Strategy. It notes that without substantial investment in farmer education, infrastructure, and subsidies for climate-smart tools, widespread adoption may remain out of reach.
In response, stakeholders are calling for enhanced government intervention. Expanding access to agricultural credit and insurance schemes, training more extension agents, and increasing farmer sensitization through radio programs and community outreach have been recommended as low-hanging fruits to boost CSA adoption.
As Nigeria stares down the accelerating impacts of climate change, CSA is not just a recommendation—it’s becoming a necessity. With a population projected to surpass 400 million by 2050 and growing food demand, the urgency to transform agricultural practices is greater than ever.
