Umar Farouq: Nigeria ramps up climate change adaptation

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development in Nigeria has announced the implementation of measures to address the severe consequences of climate change in the country.

This was announced by Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq on Wednesday during a Side Event at the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP 27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where stakeholders from around the world are gathering to propose solutions to minimize the effects of extreme climate change.

Umar Farouq stated that climate change-induced hydro-meteorological events were causing devasting humanitarian crises in Nigeria, thereby necessitating an immediate escalation of climate change adaptation efforts.

“The Nigerian government, through the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, is increasing climate change adaptation initiatives in Nigeria in order to promote community resilience and adaption strategies to mitigate and lessen the impact of climate change.

“The reason we are gathered here is to learn from and discuss the programs, strategies, and best practices that other nations are employing to reduce their climate change-related vulnerabilities. We wish to understand how to create adaptive capacities and resilience in accordance with national and international policies and commitments in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation.

“Specifically, we want to know how to better identify and map climate change risks, as well as how to generate political will to implement and finance national adaptation projects, as we harmonize inputs and launch a people-centered climate change adaptation in coordination with key partners such as the Ministry of Environment and other relevant MDAs.

“We will work with the Nigerian National Adaptation Plan, which seeks to reduce the vulnerability of communities to the effects of climate change through the development of adaptive capacity and resilience. The Plan also encourages the incorporation of climate change adaptation into relevant new and current policies, programs, and activities, as well as development planning processes and strategies, as the Minister explained.

Recent large-scale displacements, infrastructure damage, and farmland loss as a result of extreme flooding have resulted in a disruption of livelihoods, an increased risk of hunger as farmers are unable to cultivate crops, and a heightened fear of the outbreak of malaria, cholera, diarrhea, and other waterborne diseases.

Scaling Up of Climate Change Adaptation Efforts in Nigeria was discussed by Amjad Abbashar, Chief of United Nations Office For Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Regional Office For Africa, Sylvia Wabbes, agronomist with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on emergency and resilience for agriculture and food- based livelihoods systems, and other panelists.

Dr. Pasang Dolma Sherpa, Executive Director of the Center for Indigenous Peoples’ Research and Development (CIPRED), Halima Bawa-Bwari, Director of the Federal Ministry of Environment and Head of the Vulnerability & Adaptation Division in the Department of Climate Change, and Ms.

Dr. Abubakar A. Suleiman is the Deputy Director of Disaster Management within the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development.

The NNEKA IKEM ANIBEZE SA.