The Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji has said that Nigeria as Africa’s largest population and a nation rich in agricultural potential is leading the charge in developing solutions that blend Innovation, Climate Finance and Sustainable Food Systems.
Nnaji stated this when he gave a keynote speech at the Commonwealth Roundtable on Climate Finance and Food Security recently at Marlborough House, London, United Kingdom.
He emphasized that the Ministry is committed to deploying Innovation, Science and Technology as the backbone of Nigeria’s Climate Change Resilience Strategy for Environmental Sustainability in the country.
The Minister pointed out that Nigeria’s National, Technology and Innovation Policy (NTIP) (2022) serve as the blueprint for leveraging technology to secure food production, energy access and environmental sustainability of the nation.
He disclosed that, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, the Ministry is using Executive Order No.5 to lead an Inter-Ministerial Governance Framework, which ensures institutional coordination and policy implementation.
Nnaji who reaffirmed that one of its Agency, National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) has created some solution driven activities in Climate-Smart Agriculture to enhance food security through innovation by championing Tela Maize and Climate Adaptive Cotton, which resist drought, pest and extreme weather condition to ensure higher productivity with lower environmental impacts in the country. Also, Digital Agriculture and Smart Farming, Clean Energy Solutions for Agriculture where Nigeria is adopting solar-powered irrigation and bioenergy solutions to revolutionize rural farming.
The Minister informed that Nigeria is developing an Integrated Biodigester Network for Waste-to Wealth solution in key organic waste zones, capable of producing two million cubic meters of biogas and fifty tons of organic fertilizer annually. And the initiative will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 300,000 tons of CO2e annually while providing clean energy access to ten thousand households.
In his word “our Call to Action rely heavily in strengthening Commonwealth Partnerships because challenges before us are global in nature and demand a collective response”.
He therefore commended the common wealth for its unwavering commitment to foster collaboration among nation to address the twin challenges of climate resilience, stating that Nigeria is ready to collaborate, co-invest and co-develop sustainable solutions with the commonwealth partners.
(Mrs.) Pauline Sule, anipr
Head, Press & Public Relations