By Gabriel Ameh
ABUJA – The Federal Government, in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme, and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has launched the Climate-Smart Agribusiness Partnership for Resilience (CSAPR) Project aimed at improving climate resilience, increasing agricultural productivity, and expanding access to climate information services for farmers across Nigeria.
The project, officially launched in Abuja on Friday, July 24, 2026, is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural value chains by integrating Climate Information Services (CIS) into agribusiness operations through collaboration among government agencies, development partners, financial institutions, the private sector, and farmer organizations.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi, described the initiative as a major step toward building a more productive, inclusive, and climate-resilient agricultural sector.
According to him, the CSAPR Project will help farmers and agribusinesses better respond to climate challenges while creating opportunities for investment, improving productivity, and enhancing livelihoods.
Dr. Ogunbiyi commended key development partners, including NiMet, IFAD, the Gates Foundation, and other stakeholders, for supporting the initiative. He urged all partners to sustain their collaboration to expand climate-smart agriculture, unlock financing for farmers, and strengthen Nigeria’s food systems.
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Charles Anosike, said the project aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and reinforces the importance of reliable weather and climate information in achieving sustainable agriculture.
He noted that farmers, agribusinesses, financial institutions, insurers, processors, logistics providers, and investors depend on accurate and timely weather information to make informed decisions, reduce risks, protect investments, and improve productivity.
Prof. Anosike emphasized the need to convert scientific climate data into simple, localized, and practical advisories that farmers can easily understand and use. He also stressed the importance of stronger public-private partnerships to expand access to climate services nationwide.
He reaffirmed NiMet’s commitment to supporting the project through its Seasonal Climate Prediction, agrometeorological bulletins, impact-based forecasts, early warning advisories, and digital climate advisory platforms.
Also speaking, IFAD Country Director, Ms. Dede Ekoue, praised the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for its leadership and acknowledged NiMet’s technical contributions to the development of the project.
She said the initiative would promote financially sustainable public-private partnerships that integrate climate information into agricultural value chains, enabling farmers and agribusinesses to better adapt to climate variability while improving resilience, productivity, and investment opportunities.
Representing the National Programme Coordinator of the SAPZ Programme, Dr. Kabir Yusuf, an official highlighted some of the project’s early achievements, including the installation of automated weather stations in Ogun and Kano states, the rollout of climate information dissemination services, and the distribution of digital devices to leaders of farmer organizations to facilitate timely weather advisories.
The CSAPR Project is funded by the Gates Foundation and implemented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security through the SAPZ Programme, with technical support from IFAD and NiMet.
The initiative is expected to strengthen climate resilience, improve food security, and enhance the livelihoods of smallholder farmers by embedding Climate Information Services into sustainable agribusiness solutions through effective public-private partnerships.
