The United Kingdom (UK) pledges support to enhance Nigeria’s agriculture sector’s resilience to climate change
It also promises to assist more than four million people develop better farming practices and reduce harmful carbon emissions.
In a statement signed by Senior Communications & Public Diplomacy Officer, British High Commission, Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, the Foreign Secretary pledged support to make Nigeria’s agriculture sector more resilient to climate change on a visit to Nigeria. The statement highlighted funding from the UK will help more than four million people develop better farming practices and reduce harmful carbon emissions.
James Cleverly’s trip to Nigeria is part of a three-country visit to Africa for future-focussed, mutually-beneficial partnerships.
According to the secretary, “Nigeria has a booming population and the largest economy in Africa – there is huge potential for an even closer partnership between UK-and Nigerian businesses which will be of mutual benefit to both countries… more than two-thirds of Nigeria’s population depends on agriculture for employment. This new funding will help boost the Nigerian agricultural sector’s productivity and resilience to the impacts of climate change, transforming Nigerian critical agriculture and food systems for the benefit of people, climate, and nature. UK support will help to develop heat and flood-tolerant crops and increase soil fertility. The new support will help grow the UK’s economy by alleviating some of the agricultural trade barriers to UK imports.”
In partnership with finance firm InfraCredit, a £10 million UK-backed facility in Nigeria has been set to unlock funding for sustainable and climate-friendly infrastructure development projects – such as providing renewable energy services to homes in urban areas, as well as green housing.
“Today, in Abuja he will announce a £55 million Propcom+ contract, a UK International Climate Finance program which aims to support the transformation of Nigeria’s rural economy, and a £2.89 million grant, will support more than four million people across Nigeria to adopt and scale up sustainable agricultural practices. This includes improving the health of animals, making crops more resilient, and introducing cleaner cooking practices. This in turn will help increase productivity, capacity, and resilience among small-scale farmers and rural communities across Nigeria while reducing carbon emissions and protecting natural ecosystems.”
The Foreign Secretary also plans to visit the UN Humanitarian Air Service center in Abuja where he will hear how over £38 million of UK funding has helped vulnerable communities in the North-East of Nigeria, where over four million people are facing food insecurity, and two million children under five are acutely malnourished in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.
The Foreign Secretary will meet Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and National Security Advisor Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to discuss the UK-Nigeria partnership and key common priorities on bilateral trade and investment, economic development, regional issues, and strengthened security cooperation.
