Professor Charles Anosike, Director General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Permanent Representative of Nigeria with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), has emphasized the necessity of enhanced collaboration between NiMet and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. This partnership aims to bolster support for farmers through improved project implementation.
Professor Anosike hosted Mr. Koffy Dominique Kouacou, FAO’s country representative, at NiMet headquarters. Mr. Kouacou expressed satisfaction with the longstanding cooperation between the two organizations and committed to further strengthening this collaboration. Key initiatives discussed included:
- Immediate implementation of the joint project on Mainstreaming Agro-Meteorological Information to enhance climate adaptation in agri-food systems and support livelihoods in conflict-affected areas of Nigeria.
- Advocacy for funding support to ensure sustainable project execution.
- Inclusion of NiMet in the Capacity for Disaster Reduction Initiative (CADRI) to aid in achieving Sustainable Development Goals by enhancing national capacity for disaster risk reduction.
- Reactivation of NiMet’s involvement in the FAO STAT program.
Professor Anosike highlighted the importance of a robust feedback mechanism from beneficiaries to continually improve NiMet’s services. Mr. Kouacou was accompanied by Mr. Salisu Mohammed, Assistant FAO Representative for Programmes, and Mr. David Tsokar, FAO Communication Specialist. Key NiMet officials present included Prof. Vincent Weli, Director of Weather Forecasting Services; Mrs. Glory Onyegbule, Director of Applied Meteorological Services; Mr. Oluwaseun Idowu, Technical Assistant to the DG; and Mr. James Ijampy, Assistant General Manager of AgroMet.
