By Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has said the agricultural sector contributed 17.22% to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2024.
Abdullahi noted that smallholder farmers accounted for over 70% of the agricultural workforce. He made this known during the presentation of the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), themed ‘The Role of Early Warnings Towards a Climate-Resilient Aviation Industry for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development.’
“The agricultural sector contributed 17.22% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product in the first quarter of 2024, with smallholder farmers making up more than 70% of the workforce,” he said.
The minister stressed the importance of the timely release of the SCP to enable farmers to make informed decisions and improve agricultural planning, leading to higher yields.
“The SCP is a useful advisory guide to farmers. It offers site-specific downscaling and, when applied, will boost the adaptive capacity and resilience of farmers to the impact of climate change.
“Early warning systems and climate intelligence are indispensable for resilience, adaptation, and economic stability. Seasonal climate prediction is vital to the nation’s agricultural sector, serving as a strategic guide for planning, decision-making, and risk mitigation.
“SCP will enable farmers to increase productivity, while poverty, hunger, food insecurity, malnutrition, food imports, and unemployment will reduce. It will also enhance women’s empowerment in agriculture and improve environmental performance.”
Abdullahi commended the collaboration between the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Ministry in integrating climate intelligence into agricultural practices.
“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is fully supporting and committed to the early warning system, climate-smart agriculture, and every development initiative to achieve food security and a resilient environment,” he said.
The minister further revealed that the current administration has prioritised SCP, granting the Office of the Presidential Special Envoy on Climate Action the mandate to serve as the lead negotiator on climate-related matters and coordinate climate action across federal ministries.