FG, CGIAR collaborate on evidence-based insurance devt for farmers

Federal Government and Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) recently launched a roadmap for evidence-based insurance development for Nigeria’s farmers.

Speaking at introduction the roadmap in Abuja, Dr. Bukar Hassan, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, explained that the blueprint had become necessary as part of an effort to ameliorate the problem of climate change on the nation’s agricultural sector.


“Our agriculture is rain-fed dependent as farmers rely hugely on the vagaries of weather and climate (onset, cessation, intensity, amount and duration). Though it has been acknowledged that climate change is a global phenomenon and a reality, its impact has been devastating, as floods or draught can wipe out the entire harvest of farmers. This was the case of our farmers in 2012 and as recently as 2017,” Dr. Hassan said.

He noted that the roadmap would strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural and give the required boost to the insurance segment of the financial sector so that in addition to farmers’ resilience, farmers can receive the necessary support and benefit handsomely from various financial packages designed to assist them in their operations.

Dr. James Hansen, team leader of the CGIAR at the event, who is also the flagship leader of the Climate Services and Safety Nets and a senior research scientist at the International Research Institutive for Climate and Society (IRI), Colombia University, US, said climate posed significant risks to agricultural development, and by extension, food security, poverty reduction and political stability.

“It threatens sustained economic growth, especially in Nigeria, where agriculture contributes over 40 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Over 70 per cent of the workforce is engaged in agriculture-related activities, and millions residing in rural areas depend on agriculture for their livelihood,” he said.


The CGIAR, through its research programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), is working with the Federal Government and other agencies to mitigate the effects of climate change in Nigeria.

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