The Federal Government has intensified efforts to phase out traditional bush-burning practices and promote modern, climate-smart agricultural techniques aimed at protecting soil health, increasing crop yields, and reducing harmful emissions.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, disclosed this at the close-out workshop of the project titled “Abatement of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP) in the Nigerian Agricultural Sector”, held recently at Hotel 2020, Wuye, Abuja.
Dr. Ogunbiyi explained that the workshop, themed “Local Action, National Impact: Building Resilience through Climate-Smart Agriculture,” marked more than the end of a project cycle. According to him, it represents a significant milestone in Nigeria’s collective efforts to tackle climate change through practical, farmer-focused, and scalable agricultural solutions—particularly those aimed at reducing short-lived climate pollutants that threaten the environment, public health, and food systems.
He noted that the project, implemented by Self Help Africa in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and funded by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), demonstrates the value of strategic partnerships in translating global climate commitments into tangible local action.
Dr. Ogunbiyi further highlighted that Nigeria’s Climate Change Act of 2021 provides a strong legal and institutional framework for achieving low greenhouse gas emissions, climate-resilient development, and sustainable economic growth. Within this framework, agriculture plays a critical role, being both highly vulnerable to climate impacts and a major source of methane and black carbon emissions.
He stated that Nigeria’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) prioritize the agricultural sector for mitigation and adaptation efforts, particularly through methane reduction, improved residue management, and the promotion of climate-smart agricultural practices. The SLCP Abatement Project, he added, directly supports these national priorities and contributes significantly to the NDC Implementation Roadmap.
Speaking on the dangers of short-lived climate pollutants, Dr. Ogunbiyi explained that black carbon from open-field burning and methane from rice cultivation and livestock systems are among the most potent contributors to near-term global warming. Despite their relatively short atmospheric lifespan, their warming potential far exceeds that of carbon dioxide, with severe implications for air quality, human health, and agricultural sustainability.
“For Nigeria, where agriculture is central to livelihoods, employment, and food security, tackling SLCPs presents a triple-win opportunity—slowing near-term climate warming, improving air quality and public health, and strengthening agricultural productivity and resilience,” he said, stressing that the project has proven climate mitigation, adaptation, and food security can be achieved simultaneously.
The Permanent Secretary called on development partners to support project scale-up, longer implementation timelines, and results-based financing. He also urged financial institutions to develop tailored financial products for farmers adopting low-emission, climate-smart practices, while encouraging extension agents and farmers to continue championing no-burn agriculture and resilient farming systems.
In his remarks, the Director of Lands and Climate Change Management Services, Mr. Oshadiya Olanipekun, reiterated that short-lived climate pollutants such as methane and black carbon pose serious threats to the climate, air quality, and public health. He noted that addressing SLCPs in Nigeria offers a unique opportunity to curb global warming, improve environmental health, and enhance agricultural productivity.
Earlier, the Country Representative of Self Help Africa, Mrs. Joy Aderele, stated that the project has strengthened agricultural extension systems, built farmers’ capacity, and generated evidence to guide policy formulation and national climate action.
The event was attended by representatives of the Benue State Government, Oxfam, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the World Food Programme (WFP), the CCAC Project Management team, the Federal Ministry of Environment, and other stakeholders.