The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), has launched the Climate-Smart Agribusiness Partnerships for Resilience (CSAPR) Project in Abuja to strengthen climate resilience, improve productivity and enhance the profitability of Nigeria’s agricultural value chains.
The project, implemented in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and will run from 2026 to 2028.
Designed to integrate Climate Information Services (CIS) into commercially viable agribusiness products and services, the initiative will leverage public-private partnerships to improve farmers’ access to weather and climate information for better decision-making.
Declaring the project open, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi, called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, development partners, financial institutions, agribusinesses, researchers and farmers to address the growing impact of climate change on Nigeria’s food system.
He described the project as another milestone in Nigeria’s drive toward a more resilient and climate-smart agricultural sector, noting that floods, droughts, erratic rainfall, desertification and rising temperatures continue to threaten agricultural productivity, rural livelihoods and national food security.
According to Ogunbiyi, the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agricultural transformation agenda, including the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) and the Presidential Food Security Agenda.
He explained that the CSAPR project emerged from extensive stakeholder consultations, including the 2025 Policy Dialogue and Best Practice Workshop on Public-Private Partnerships for Climate-Friendly Services, which concluded that climate solutions are most effective when integrated into agricultural finance, insurance, extension services, input supply and market information systems.
He added that the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme was selected as the primary implementation platform, with farmer organisations, cooperatives, youth and women’s groups playing central roles.
Speaking on behalf of IFAD, the Country Director, Ms. Dede Ekoue, said the project places climate resilience at the centre of Nigeria’s agricultural transformation efforts.
She noted that CSAPR is the third Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP)-supported intervention within IFAD’s Nigeria portfolio, following previous initiatives in the North-East, North-West and North-Central regions.
Ekoue explained that the project seeks to expand access to financially sustainable climate information services through practical public-private partnerships that complement existing government services.
She said improved climate information would enable financial institutions and insurance providers to better manage agricultural risks, while helping agribusinesses make more informed operational decisions.
The IFAD Country Director commended the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for facilitating collaboration across government institutions, including the Federal Ministry of Finance, and urged continued support from development partners such as the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).
Also speaking, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, described the project as a timely intervention against increasing climate threats, including erratic rainfall, flooding, drought, changing planting seasons and pest outbreaks.
He stressed that accurate and timely weather information is essential for helping farmers make informed production decisions while enabling agribusinesses, insurers and investors to effectively manage climate-related risks.
Anosike reaffirmed NiMet’s commitment to supporting the project through seasonal climate predictions, agrometeorological bulletins, impact-based forecasts, early warning advisories and digital climate information platforms, while emphasising the importance of prioritising women, youth and smallholder farmers.
Representing the National Programme Coordinator of SAPZ, Dr. Kabir Yusuf, the Programme Operations Manager, Dr. Zakari Tsiga, said the initiative complements existing IFAD-supported efforts to strengthen resilient agrifood systems, improve productivity and attract agricultural investment.
He disclosed that SAPZ has already enhanced farmers access to climate information through NiMet’s weather forecasts, automated weather stations installed in Ogun and Kano states, and digital devices distributed to farmer organisation leaders for disseminating weather advisories.
Tsiga thanked the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, IFAD, the Gates Foundation, NiMet and other partners for supporting the initiative and encouraged stakeholders to actively contribute to its implementation and expansion.
The launch workshop brought together government agencies, financial institutions, agribusinesses, farmer organisations, cooperatives, development partners, civil society organisations, research institutions and academia to build consensus on implementing the project.
In his closing remarks, Ogunbiyi pledged that the Federal Government would continue to provide the policy direction, coordination and enabling environment required for the successful implementation of the project.
He described the launch of CSAPR as the beginning of a transformative partnership that will empower farmers with climate knowledge, strengthen agribusinesses through innovation, reduce investment risks and position Nigeria as a continental leader in climate-smart agriculture.
