NIGERIA LEADS CLIMATE-SMART INNOVATION DRIVE AT COMMONWEALTH ROUNDTABLE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

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NIGERIA LEADS CLIMATE-SMART INNOVATION DRIVE AT COMMONWEALTH ROUNDTABLE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology in Nigeria, Chief Uche Nnaji has expressed the determination to collaborate, co-invest, and co develop sustainable solutions with Commonwealth partners, development organizations, and the private sector towards achieving climate innovation drive.

The Minister who was speaking at a Commonwealth Roundtable on Climate Finance and Food Security in London, United Kingdom highlighted the various efforts the country is being put in place under the Renewed Hope Initiative of President Bola Tinubu to ensure food security in environmentally friendly communities.

Chief Nnaji stated that Nigeria is channelling private investment into climate smart food production, storage infrastructure, and transportation networks, noting that Nigeria’s Living Lands Initiative (NLLI) aligns with the Commonwealth Living Lands Charter, driving restoration, conservation, and climate-smart agriculture.

According to a statement signed by the Spokesman of National Space Research and Development Agency, Dr. Felix Ale, the key Initiatives include embarking on The Green Economy Transition Project by Restoring 50,000 hectares of degraded land, integrating agroforestry techniques, and generating $2,000 to $3,000 per hectare in new income streams.

The Minister also that the country is to pursue the Climate-Smart Agriculture & Value Preservation Project by Introducing solar powered drying, cold storage, and biochar processing, expected to boost crop yields by 40% and cut post-harvest losses in half.

“Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration, our ministry is using Executive Order No. 5 to lead an inter-ministerial governance framework, ensuring institutional coordination and policy implementation..
Our Call to Action rely heavily on Strengthening Commonwealth Partnerships because challenges before us are global in nature and demand a collective response. As we look to the future”,

“I urge our Commonwealth partners to join hands in the following ways:
1.To Establishing a Commonwealth Center for
Climate-Smart Agriculture. This will serve as a
platform to exchange knowledge, transfer
technology, and scale innovation-driven food
security initiative”..

“2.To help in Simplifying Access to Climate
Finance. We must advocate for equitable,
simplified climate finance mechanisms that enable developing nations to secure the funding needed for large-scale adaptation projects”.

“3.To focus on Empowering Youth & Women in
Climate-Agriculture Solutions. This is simply
because Over 60% of the Commonwealth’s
population is under 30. We must engage youth-led
agritech startups and women-led agricultural
enterprises to drive innovation in food systems”.

Chief Nnaji stressed that the Commonwealth would also be required to partner Nigeria towards embarking on Carbon Credit & Sustainable Agriculture Investments by integrating carbon
credit trading and agroforestry programs.

“This action will unlock new revenue streams while
ensuring environmental sustainability.
We all have a Shared Responsibility for a Resilient Future”, Chief Nnaji added.

The Minister expressed the hope that the roundtable on climate finance and food security will address burning issues affecting the country in the sector, considering the implications of climate change in the various communities.

“This platform serves as a vital space to align our national and regional policies, mobilize financing, and integrate cutting-edge innovation to ensure food security in an era of climate uncertainty”.

“Nigeria, as Africa’s largest population and a nation rich in agricultural potential, is leading the charge in developing solutions that blend innovation, climate finance, and sustainable food systems”.

“The realities we face today are alarming. Across the 56 Commonwealth nations, climate change, land degradation, and biodiversity loss threaten the very foundation of our food systems. For instance, in Nigeria, Rising temperatures and erratic weather patterns reduce agricultural yields and disrupt food supply chains. Here are additional examples that align with the existing challenges in Nigeria”.:

“Nigeria loses about 351,000 hectares of land to desertification annually, with 11 northern states severely affected. This worsens food insecurity and displacement of farming communities. Annual floods in Nigeria destroy over 100,000 hectares of farmland, displacing millions and reducing food availability.
Coastal erosion in Lagos, Bayelsa, and Delta states claims about 30-40 meters of land annually, endangering communities and agricultural activities”.

“Over 40% of Nigeria’s inland water bodies are at risk due to pollution and climate change, leading to declining fish stocks and affecting the livelihoods of millions of artisanal fishers.
The Lake Chad Basin has shrunk by over 90% since the 1960s, drastically affecting water supply for irrigation and livestock in the Northeast of Nigeria”.

“Nigeria loses about 350,000 to 400,000 hectares of forest annually, ranking among the highest deforestation rates globally. This contributes to biodiversity loss and worsens climate vulnerabilities.
More than 95% of Nigerian farmers rely on unpredictable rainfall, making them highly vulnerable to droughts and erratic weather
patterns”

“Nigeria’s urbanization rate exceeds 4% annually, leading to conversion of fertile farmlands into residential and commercial developments, reducing available land for food production. Nigeria is the largest gas flaring country in Africa, emitting over 7 billion cubic meters of gas annually, leading to respiratory diseases and environmental degradation”.

“Nigeria spends over $10 billion annually on food imports, despite having the potential to be a net exporter of agricultural products.
Over 70% of Nigerians rely on agriculture for their livelihoods, yet only 15% of rural communities have access to electricity, making post-harvest processing infrastructure and storage a major challenge, contributing to more than 50% in food losses”.

“In Climate-Smart Agriculture, Nigeria has Enhanced Food Security Through Innovation by championing Tela Maize and climate-adaptive cotton, which resist drought, pests, and extreme weather conditions, ensuring higher productivity with lower environmental impact. In Digital Agriculture & Smart Farming Nigeria has adopted the use of AI-driven precision farming, automated irrigation, and remote sensing technology from our Space Agency”.

“These strategies are helping smallholder farmers predict weather patterns, optimize inputs, and minimize losses*.

“In Clean Energy Solutions for Agriculture Nigeria is adopting Solar-powered irrigation and bioenergy solutions, which are revolutionizing rural farming communities, allowing for sustainable food production even in water-scarce regions. In Clean Cooking Initiative Nigeria is adopting a cutting-edge Low Pressurized Compressed Natural Gas (LPCNG) cylinders Technology. This strategy will make clean cooking energy affordable, reducing dependence on deforestation-driven biomass fuels”

“In Waste-to-Wealth solution, Nigeria is developing anIntegrated Biodigester Network in key organic waste zones, capable of producing 2 million cubic meters of biogas and 50,000 tons of organic fertilizer annually.
This initiative will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 300,000 tons of CO2e annually, while providing clean energy access to over 10,000 households”.

“While innovation is critical, no solution is viable without sustainable financing mechanisms. Nigeria is committed to unlocking climate finance to scale up these solutions through Green Bonds and Climate Resilience Funds, Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub and Public-Private Partnerships”.

“Nigeria experimented with Green Bond Program in 2017 and 2019, which financed afforestation, renewable energy, and climate-smart projects. In partnerships with multilateral development banks and private sector investors this type of funding can be
scaled for agricultural value chains and food processing enterprises”

“Nigeria is leveraging the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub to access international climate finance, supporting our National Technology Action Plan (NTAP), which accelerates technology adoption in agriculture, energy, and industry”.