The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has called for deeper public-private partnerships (PPP) to unlock opportunities in climate-smart agribusiness and transform climate challenges into engines of growth.
According to IFAD, such partnerships hold the potential to drive economic growth, create jobs for youth, and promote sustainable development.
Speaking in Abuja at the Federal Government/IFAD Best Practice Workshop on PPP for Climate Information Services, IFAD Country Director, Mrs. Dede Ekoue, said the initiative is central to advancing the Climate Smart Agribusiness Partnership for Resilience Project (CSAPR). The workshop brought together key stakeholders to align local realities with national priorities and global commitments.
Ekoue stressed that access to reliable climate information is critical for farmers and agribusinesses. “Climate information is life-saving, productivity-enhancing, and resilience-building. Farmers cannot adapt without timely and reliable information on when to plant, harvest, or prepare for extreme weather. Agribusinesses also cannot scale sustainably without data, early warning systems, and risk management instruments,” she noted.
She commended Nigeria’s leadership role in advancing digital solutions for agriculture, citing global commitments such as the Kampala Declaration and outcomes from the UN Food Systems Summit in Addis Ababa, which emphasized resilience, inclusivity, and sustainability.
Ekoue also praised the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) for its efforts in providing climate services that safeguard livelihoods, while urging stronger collaboration with the private sector to ensure information reaches millions of smallholder farmers.
NiMet’s Director-General, Prof. Charles Onosike, described climate-smart PPPs as vital for integrating climate risks into infrastructure development. He revealed that the agency recently launched the Enhancing National Climate Services (ENACTS) Maproom, a digital tool offering real-time forecasts, historical data, and tailored advisories to help farmers improve productivity.
Onosike added that NiMet is engaging private sector players in the Climate Information Services value chain to establish Digital Climate Advisory Services (DCAS) aimed at delivering accurate, timely climate information to farmers.
He commended IFAD for its long-standing support to Nigeria through projects such as the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), and the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones.
