………LAUDED AGRHYMENT, ACMAD FOR SUSTAINING THE CLIMATE OUTLOOK

By

Joseph Adeniyi

It was an eventful and impactful brainstorming session at the 2024 edition of the Regional Climate Outlook Forum Of The Seasonal Forecasting Of Agro-Hydro-Climatic Characteristics Of The Sahelian And Sudan Region Of West Africa And Sahel (PRESA-SS) held in Abuja, Nigeria Capital just as stakeholders, partners, and development organizations lauded AGRHYMENT for its roles in effective coordination, meaningful engagement and well as resourceful intervention in the climate management within the African Region.

The workshop which was declared open on Monday at the Reiz, Continental Hotels, Abuja, brought together experts and seasoned professionals across Africa to synergize and cooperate, exchange verifiable data and interface with each other to arrive at a predictable weather forecast for the Region ahead of the impending raining season.

Speaking shortly before declaring the workshop open, the Director General of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET) and Permanent Representative of Nigeria with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Prof. Charles Anosike, disclosed that seasonal forecasting under the increasing climate disasters is not only key to achieving the United Nations Early Warning for All, rather it can also protect lives and property in any society.

The Nimet boss said “This year’s Regional Climate Outlook is timely because weather and climate events continue to take a toll on our region despite the tremendous advances and investment in climate science and operational forecasting over the past century.

“Weather-related hazards including early/late onset of raining seasons, drought, flood and extended periods of extreme temperatures, triggers and account for a greater proportion of disaster losses.it is therefore crucial that we ensure that our seasonal forecasting processes are reliable and validated to enable accurate and actionable prediction

“I would like to commend AGRHYMET and ACMAD for sustaining the Regional Climate Outlook (PRESASS) from 1998 to date. PRESASS provides the platform for a unified regional seasonal climate outlook and reinforces our determination to collaboratively address climate disasters and accelerate climate action.

“We must continue to work together to strengthen the PRESASS project as the region looks forward to this vital early warning tool every year”, the NiMET DG stated.

In his speech, the Representative of the Managing Director of AGRHYMET, Dr. Abdul Ali, thanked the Government of Nigeria, partners, various state and non-state actors as well as development partners who supported the workshop.

He pointed out that “it is clear at this very moment of the rainy season, all actors including decision makers and farmers are waiting with impatience for any information that will enable them to better plan the rainy season more effectively.

“Above all, this event is held in a difficult context in the region where, according to the analyses by CILSS and its partners through the Harmonized more than 50 million people will be in food crisis in the region during the upcoming lean season from June to August if possible measures are not taken.

“This is to call on you all as experts in this process, that you need to put all effort during these three days of the Pre-forum to produce a quality forecast that meets the expectations of the stakeholders. We have no doubt about that. Today, new methods and new data are available to reinforce the process. We will not fail to make maximum use of these opportunities”, he said.

The representative of the AGRHYMET MD assured stakeholders at the workshop that his organization will continue to provide the needed support and create conditions that will enable wider opportunities and strengthen the development of high-quality forecasts in the region.

Also in his remarks, the Representative of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for West, Central, and North Africa, Dr. Benard Gomez who was represented by Dr Rowland Abah, lauded the activities of AGRHYMET which according to him has enhanced better understanding and effective management of climate in Africa since the past 50 years.

He assured that WMO shall continue to partner and cooperate with all stakeholders to provide accurate forecasts and early warnings that will mitigate any disaster in the region.

The Director General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NISHA) Mr. Clement Nze, also gave a goodwill message at the event.

The workshop is being supported by the European Union, ECOWAS, USAID, World Bank, ADB, and other partners.