Prof. Charles Anosike, the Director General/CEO of Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative at the World Meteorological Organization ((WMO), has been commended for Nimet’s prompt and accurate data collection and information dissemination on climate and weather.

The commendation was made on Monday in Abuja by the International Food and Agriculture Fund (IFAD) at a workshop on Public-Private Partnership for Climate Information Services & Validation which centered on Climate-Smart Agribusiness for Resilience (CSAPR) Programme.

Mrs. Dede Ekoue, IFAD Country Director who made the commendation, said NiMet has been at the forefront of safeguarding livelihoods and strengthening national resilience.

“The Agency’s role in forging stronger linkages between science, policy, and practice is indispensable,” she said and advocated deeper partnerships with the private sector and development actors.

According to her, such synergy with stakeholders, is critical in ensuring that climate information is not only generated but also translated into accessible, affordable, and actionable services for millions of small holder farmers.

Speaking earlier, Prof. Anosike, hailed IFAD and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for convening the workshop.

He said that cClimate Smart Public Private Partnership (PPP) is critical in this era of Climate Change to enable integration of climate related risks into agro infrastructure development, adding that it can be achieved by embedding climate data and adaptation, mitigation measures into project design to ensure long term stability.

He expressed his gratitude to IFAD’s country director Mrs Dede Ekoue for the commitment and efforts in sustaining NiMet’s long-standing collaboration with IFAD through projects such as LIFE-ND, VCDP, and SAPZ

Professor Anosike drew attention to NiMet’s feats in Climate Services, the recent launch of Enhancing National Climate Services (ENACTS) Maproom, a powerful tool designed to accelerate access to climate information in Nigeria, especially for those involved in agribusiness.

“The Maproom provides real-time weather forecasts, historical climate data and tailored advisories to support farmers in making informed decisions about planting and harvesting, thereby promoting resilience and productivity. I encourage you all to explore the NiMet Maproom by visiting the NiMet website and share your valuable feedback,” he stated.

Underscoring the workshop’s objective, he said- “In line with the objective of this workshop today – to build a common understanding of best practices for Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in Climate Information Services (CIS)- NiMet is actively engaging with private sector practitioners across the CIS value Chain to establish sustainable Digital Climate Advisory Services (DCAS) for Small-holder farmers in Nigeria. These efforts are designed to deliver timely and accurate climate information, enabling small holder farmers to make informed decisions that improve crop yields, protect their livelihoods, and strengthen resilience to the impacts of climate change.”