BY Vivian Chime
Mansur Matazu, director-general of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), says adopting, implementing, and utilising weather and climate information for national planning is one of the several solutions to achieving the objectives of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Matazu said this at the 61st annual conference of the Association of Nigerian Geographers held at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun on Monday.
Matazu said all of NiMet’s products and services are geared towards mitigating disasters, especially weather-induced components of it, for all sectors of the economy.
“NiMet’s services cut across almost all the socio-economic sectors of our economy and are aimed at generating climate-smart decision-making which in turn contributes to the reduction of poverty among the citizenry,” Matazu said.
“Similarly, our range of products, either directly or as inputs by other stakeholders, for example, in agriculture, maritime, health, water resources, disaster management amongst others (if quantified in financial terms) are catalysts for socio-economic benefits,
“NiMet also engages stakeholders in the Agricultural sector. A big part of the Agency’s seasonal climate prediction is focused on agriculture for food security and sustainable development. The agency carries out downscaling activities where forecasts for the agricultural sector are cascaded to the last mile through roving seminars, Workshops and Field operations”.
Adamu Tanko, president of the association, pointed out that the theme of the programme: ‘Geography and the Sustainable Development Goals’, was strategically chosen to showcase how the study of the environment is facilitating and accelerating the achievement of the SDGs in Nigeria.
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