The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Charles Anosike, has said that the training on automatic weather station (AWS) configuration and climate data tool (CDT) will help the agency to improve data availability and quality control by combining station data with satellite.
Anosike was speaking at the opening ceremony of the training at NiMet’s headquarters on Tuesday.
He said: “The training is in line with NiMet management’s determination to ensure that staff are adequately trained and skilled in modern trends in weather and climate application tools.”
Continuing, Anosike said that building Agricultural Systems Resilience in Nigeria Project, under which the training is being conducted in collaboration with Sahel Consulting is a welcome development, in support of the government’s effort to boost food security, ensure early warnings and safeguard lives and property.
“This training marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to enhance the resilience of agriculture and food systems in Nigeria.
“Specifically, agriculture, being the highest employer of labour in the country, is the backbone of our economy, providing livelihoods for millions of Nigerians and ensuring food security for our growing population.
“The sector is not without its challenges, including the impacts of climate change – erratic weather patterns, extreme weather events, and shifting climatic conditions, posing severe danger to agricultural productivity and sustainability,” Anosike said.
He charged all participants to effectively engage and be ready to transfer the knowledge and skills acquired to colleagues after the training.