Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
Researchers, policymakers, development practitioners and community stakeholders at the weekend called for urgent policy reforms that would strengthen climate resilience, food security and livelihood protection among the rural dwellers in Kwara State and the nation in general.
This, they said would go a long of addressing food shortage in the country and thereby boosting the socio-economic growth of the populace.
The discussion tagged, “Strengthening Climate Resilience, Food Systems, and Livelihood Security in Kwara State through Evidence-Informed Policy Action,” provided opportunity to develop research policy adaptation and sustainable socioeconomic livelihood for the rural dwellers in the state.
Speaking at the event, a lead Researcher from the Nigeria Institute of Social and Economic Research(NISER) from Ibadan, Oyo State, Professor Andrew Onwuemele said that, findings from the PALM-TREEs Project had revealed increasing vulnerability of rural communities to droughts, flooding, food insecurity, weak climate information systems, declining agricultural productivity, and livelihood disruptions.
He stated that, “The study also found that access to early warning information among vulnerable communities remained very low, limiting preparedness and response to climate shocks.”
Onwuemele said that one of the findings for the study was that the flooding in Kwara state is a result of two main factors.
He noted, “One is the overflow of River Niger into the communities. And secondly, there was the issue of the release of excess water from Kanji Dam and the Jebba Dam into the community.”