The Federal Government and Self Help Africa, an NGO, have called on smallholder farmers to reduce open field burning to mitigate the effect of Climate Change.
They made the call at the inception workshop of the Abatement of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) in the Nigerian Agricultural Sector project on Tuesday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN ) reports that open burning in agriculture refers to the practice of intentionally setting fire to agricultural residues or fields for various purposes such as land clearing.
This also included managing crop residues, controlling pest or preparing fields for planting.
Speaking at the workshop, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Temitope Fashedemi, said that open burning has been traditionally used as a cost effective method for agricultural management.
Fashedemi, who was represented by the Director, Agricultural Lands, Mr Osadiya Olanipekun, noted, however, that this unsustainable practice could lead to air pollution, soil degradation and climate change.
He said that Nigeria is one of the few countries to highlight its commitment to reduce SLCP.
The permanent secretary said that this was part of its effort to mitigate the effect of Climate Change in the country.
He said that the updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), approved the inclusion of National Action Plan to Reduce short lived climate pollutants (SLCP) like black carbon, methane and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
Fashedemi said the SLCPs project would target 500 farmers, 35 extension officers and the training demonstration and capacity activities would take place in Gboko, Benue.
“The result will be packaged and shared with extension officers and key influencers from other Local Government Areas and States for implementation to reduce SLCPs across the nation.
“I urge all the participants to take this good news to their respective locations as climate change is a reality.
“It affects the sector in a negative way and the opportunity this presents in mitigating its effects,” he said.
Earlier, Mrs Joy Aderele, the Country Director, Self Help Africa, Nigeria, said SLCPs is an 18 Month pilot programme to work with 500 farmers to reduce open burning.
She said that Gboko Local Government Area in Benue would be used as a pilot to demonstrate successful approaches to reducing open field burning.
Aderele said that Self Help Africa is dedicated to the vision of ‘Sustainable livelihoods and healthy lives for all in a changing climate’.
She said that air pollution in 17 countries across Africa contributed to more than 50 per cent of pneumonia deaths as reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
” Together, we can ensure that the project will contribute to achieving the goals of Nigeria’s 2019 National Action Plan to Reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) .
This is aimes reducing black carbon emissions by 83 per cent and methane emissions by 61 per cent by 2030,” she said. (NAN)
