NiMet, GHI, partner to build the Agro-weather Dissemination System

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has partnered with the Green Habitat Initiative (GHI) to develop the Agro-weather Dissemination System (a software-as-a-service) that enables NiMet to disseminate weather information to small-holder farmers in rural Kebbi State. The initiative, termed Radio-Internet Climate Technology for Agricultural Resilience (RANETA), allows farmers to receive agro-weather information through SMS, USSD codes, […]

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has partnered with the Green Habitat Initiative (GHI) to develop the Agro-weather Dissemination System (a software-as-a-service) that enables NiMet to disseminate weather information to small-holder farmers in rural Kebbi State.

The initiative, termed Radio-Internet Climate Technology for Agricultural Resilience (RANETA), allows farmers to receive agro-weather information through SMS, USSD codes, IVR messaging, and Radio. The information passed to the farmers supports them in knowing when to plant their crops and how to avoid losses occasioned by bad weather and climate change.

Speaking during the Closure and Dissemination Workshop yesterday in Abuja, the Director General of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, said that through RANETA, Nigeria will bridge the gap between complex meteorological data and the realities of smallholder farmers.

He said harnessing radio and internet platforms will simplify forecasts, bring down communication barriers, and deliver actionable insights directly to farmer communities.

“For a long time, NIMET has generated agrometeorological information such as the seasonal climate predictions, seasonal rainfall prediction, crop calendar, and expert and local advisories.

“We have also generally disseminated these through our digital channels, the print media, and stakeholder organisations. RANETA was a project conceived to build a communication channel for NIMET to directly disseminate these forecasts and information to our farmers all over the country.”

He said that through the RANETA project, seasonal climate predictions, localised advisories can now be disseminated via accessible platforms such as SMS, USSD, IVR and radio, which will aid in bridging the gap between NIMET and smallholder farmers through the innovative Agroweather Dissemination system.

On his part, the Project Director of RANETA and the Executive Director of GHI, Engr. Sadiq Abubakar Gulma said the project will help farmers to avoid economic loss due to weather and climatic conditions, enabling them to make well-informed decisions on aligning their farming activities with reliable forecasts from NiMet.

The information is actionable, timely, and easy to comprehend by the farmers.

He stated that the project is currently reaching farmers in Kebbi State only.

100 farmers were trained on climate-smart agriculture, and they will, in turn, train over 6,000 farmers in their farming clusters and communities.

He stated that the project is supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), with funding from the Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator I.

He went on to state that the project started with research that looked into how often farmers rely on weather forecasts in making decisions when farming.

On his part, the Director of Projects and Climate Change at the Kebbi State Ministry of Agriculture, Faruk Garba Illo, said the project started with a pilot in Argungu due to its vast rice production.

He added that two clusters were formed there while the farmers were identified and trained on the objective of the project.

ADS is a tool that will aid Nigeria in the achievement of food security while being climate resilient.