December 13, 2022 | Nigeria
At a national policy conference, PEP researchers in Nigeria gathered experts and decision-makers to discuss the effects of climate shocks on household food security, with a particular focus on how these impacts differ for men and women across the country.
Dr Khadijat Busola Amolegbe
December 13, 2022 – A team of local PEP researchers held a national policy conference to share their recommendations for addressing the gendered effects of climate shocks on household food security in Nigeria.
Regions throughout the Global South are grappling with the growing frequency of extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, due to the climate crisis. In Nigeria, warming climates present significant challenges to food security, underscoring the need for effective policy responses to support populations vulnerable to climate change.
The research team brought together over 80 policy stakeholders and advisors, academics, representatives of civil society and the private sector from across seven African countries for the online event, where representatives of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the National Biotechnology Development Agency, and the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, as well as experts from the World Bank and Alon Green Recycling, all presented their insights on climate change and food security in the country.
Dr Khadijat Busola Amolegbe, the team's lead researcher, moderated the event. She presented findings and recommendations from the team's project investigating the impact of climate shocks and crop diversification on households and the importance of gender-aware mitigation policies.
Governments and non-government organizations should pay particular attention to climate shocks on households that are headed by women, she explained. She then shared the team's findings showing that plot managers, especially women, should be encouraged to adopt crop diversification strategies to mitigate the effects of climate shocks. According to the team's research, these strategies could involve training households on diversification techniques and providing cash transfers and subsidies to help them diversify more easily.
The audience showed their appreciation for the team's methodology and findings and emphasized the importance of addressing the growing vulnerability caused by climate shocks. In particular, a representative of the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Empowerment, Nigeria, Dr Toyin Olowogbon, agreed with the team's findings and highlighted the need for innovative financing models, gender-sensitive approaches, and digital literacy for farmers.
A journalist from ThisDay, a Nigerian daily newspaper, reported on the event, underlining the public interest in the team's results and recommendations.
The research team organized the event with financial and advisory support from PEP and Global Affairs Canada.
