The Federal Government has urged financial institutions to design tailored financial products that will help farmers adopt low-emission, climate-smart practices capable of supporting cleaner air, healthier communities, resilient food systems and a more climate-secure Nigeria.
The call was made by Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), at the Close-Out Workshop of the Abatement of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (ASLCP) in the Nigerian agricultural sector, held on Thursday in Abuja. The meeting also served as the Final Project Dissemination of ASLCP.
The ASLCP initiative in the Nigerian agricultural sector focused on reducing open-field burning and was convened under the theme, “Local Action, National Impact: Building Resilience through Climate-Smart Agriculture”.
Ogunbiyi urged extension agents and farmers to remain ambassadors of no-burn agriculture and resilient farming systems, while also calling on development partners to support scale-up initiatives, longer implementation timelines and results-based financing models.
“The event marks an important milestone in Nigeria’s collective effort to confront climate change through farmer-centred, and scalable agricultural solutions, particularly in reducing short-lived climate pollutants that pose immediate risks to our environment, health, and food systems,” Ogunbiyi said.
He explained that the project was implemented by Self Help Africa in collaboration with the FMAFS, with funding support from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), noting that the initiative showed how partnerships can translate global climate commitments into local action.
“As we conclude this project phase, our collective responsibility is to sustain, institutionalise and expand its gains,” he said.
According to him, the project covered all six geopolitical zones of the federation, with a major demonstration site located in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.
He said farmers adopted improved and climate-smart agricultural practices across 20 demonstration plots in 15 communities, including water-efficient rice production methods that reduce methane emissions.
Ogunbiyi identified climate-resilient cowpea cultivation techniques, sustainable residue management and mulching practices that replaced open-field burning, as well as locally fabricated briquette-making technologies that convert agricultural waste into clean energy.
“The project achieved measurable behavioural change. Farmers moved away from traditional burning practices and embraced conservation agriculture techniques that protect soil health, improve yields, and reduce emissions,” he said.
“These demonstration plots have since evolved into community learning centres, strengthening peer-to-peer knowledge transfer and ensuring local ownership of climate-smart innovations,” he added.
He highlighted black carbon from open-field burning and methane from rice cultivation and livestock systems as major contributors to near-term global warming.
“Though their lifespan in the atmosphere is short, their warming impact is significantly higher than carbon dioxide, with serious consequences for air quality, human health and agricultural sustainability,” Ogunbiyi said.
“For Nigeria, where agriculture remains central to livelihoods, employment, and food security, addressing Short-Lived Climate Pollutants presents a unique triple-win opportunity to slow near-term climate warming, improve air quality and public health, and strengthen agricultural productivity and resilience,” he stated.
He said the workshop provided an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned, share experiences, and explore pathways for scaling up successful interventions.
“The outcomes are highly relevant to national priorities, including Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions, long-term low-emission development strategies, and the broader agricultural transformation agenda,” Ogunbiyi said.
He urged policymakers, development partners, financial institutions, researchers, extension agents and farmers to focus on institutionalising gains, strengthening partnerships and mobilising support to sustain and expand SLCP mitigation efforts.
Ogunbiyi also commended the Climate and Clean Air Coalition for its timely intervention, noting that the project demonstrated that effective climate action is achievable at the community level.
Also speaking at the workshop, Mr Oshadiya Olanipekun, Director of the Department of Agricultural Land and Climate Change Services (ALCCMS), described the event as an important milestone in translating climate commitments into practical actions.
According to him, the ASLCP project, implemented by Self Help Africa in collaboration with the FMAFS and funded by CCAC, demonstrates that climate-smart agriculture is both achievable and impactful.
“Short-lived climate pollutants, which include methane and black carbon, pose serious risks to our climate, air quality, and public health,” Olanipekun said.
“In Nigeria, where agriculture remains a major economic driver and a significant emissions source, addressing SLCPs offers a unique opportunity to reduce global warming, improve environmental health, and enhance agricultural productivity,” he added.
He said that over the course of the project, particularly through its implementation in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State and across the six geopolitical zones, stakeholders witnessed encouraging results.
“Farmers adopted improved practices in rice and cowpea production, sustainable crop residue management and alternatives to open-field burning, including the use of locally fabricated briquette technologies,” he said.
“These interventions not only reduced emissions but also strengthened resilience and livelihoods at the community level,” Olanipekun added.
Mrs Joy Aderele, Country Director of Self Help Africa, said the project demonstrated practical and scalable no-burn alternatives that reduce black carbon and other short-lived climate pollutants while improving soil health, farm productivity and farmer livelihoods.
She said the project strengthened extension systems, built farmer capacity and generated evidence to inform policy formulation and national climate action.
“Today’s meeting provides an important platform to share results, lessons learned, and field experiences, and to collectively reflect on strategies for sustaining and scaling no-burn practices beyond the life of this project,” Aderele said.
She commended Ogunbiyi, noting that his guidance and collaboration were critical in advancing climate-smart agriculture and promoting sustainable land management practices across participating communities nationwide.
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