The Nigerian Meteorological Agency plans to collaborate with the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes Project to create a specialized Digital Precision Agricultural Advisory system designed to assist small-scale farmers in northern Nigeria.
As stated by Mukhtar Tanko, the national project coordinator for ACReSAL, during a gathering at NiMet’s main offices in Abuja on Tuesday, the initiative acknowledges NiMet as an essential partner in the creation, implementation, and long-term maintenance of the DPAE system.
He explained that Sub-Component B2 of the project aims to support farmers at the household level in adopting climate-smart rainfed agriculture practices. He said that to achieve this, leveraging weather data is essential for optimising farm management and improving productivity.
Tanko also mentioned that the Federal Government intends to create a tailored DPAE platform for small-scale farmers in northern Nigeria via ACReSAL.
He mentioned that the digital expansion service will allow farmers to obtain real-time and predictive information such as farming guidance, input suggestions, market analytics, and weather forecasts customized for their particular requirements.
Charles Anosike, the CEO of NiMet, expressed his approval for the suggestion aimed at strengthening cooperation between NiMet and ACReSAL.
He stated that practicing precision smart agriculture is impossible without access to weather and climate data.
We currently maintain a fruitful association with ACReSAL, hence we are delighted to support this initiative aimed at bolstering our collaboration.
“It is crucial as well that NiMet is involved in co-developing the weather and climate dashboard and platform, ensuring it remains interactive and user-friendly for farmers,” Anosike noted.
The aim of the Digital Precision Agricultural Extension program for small-scale farmers is to create, test, and roll out a precise digital agricultural support system in Northern Nigeria as part of the plan to enhance farmers’ access to extension and advisory resources.
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