If urgent steps are not taken to check environmental degradation in Nigeria, the country may lose about $460 billion to climate change by 2020 and may be exposed to a gross domestic product loss of between 2% and 11%.
This was disclosed by the Executive Director, Women Environmental Programme, WEP, Mrs. Priscilla Achakpa, during a two-day capacity building workshop organized by WEP in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, for Extension Service Officers held in Makurdi, Benue State capital.
She noted that findings by relevant agencies indicated that the development posed a threat to the efforts of government to boost food production in the country and the actualization of the Vision 20:20 20 of the Federal Government.
Achakpa, who was represented by Mr. George Akor, a Director in the Programme, maintained that “the best way to reach farmers with climate change information is by developing capacity of Agricultural Extension Service Officers in interpreting and communicating climate change information to rural farmers including women.”
According to her, the negative impact of climate change on countries in Africa remains huge despite the fact that the continent contributes little to global greenhouse emissions.
“This situation calls for concerted effort by all relevant agencies and governments to ensure that the impact of climate change on Nigeria is mitigated,” she stressed.