- The British Foreign Minister, James Cleverly has planned to roll out a new package of support to make Nigeria’s agriculture sector more climate-resilient during a visit to the country
The United Kingdom has pledged to assist more than four million Nigerians develop better farming practices and reduce harmful carbon emissions.
A statement on Tuesday, August 1 signed by Senior Communications & Public Diplomacy Officer, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office | British High Commission, Atinuke Akande-Alegbe read: ‘Foreign Secretary pledges support to make Nigeria’s agriculture sector more resilient to climate change on a visit to Nigeria.’
James Cleverly’s trip to Nigeria comes on a three-country visit to Africa where he is prioritising future-focussed, mutually-beneficial partnerships.
The statement in full reads: ‘The Foreign Secretary will announce a new package of support to make Nigeria’s agriculture sector more climate resilient, as he arrives in the country today, continuing his four-day African visit.
‘More than two thirds of Nigeria’s population depend 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. New support will help grow the UK’s economy by alleviating some of the agricultural trade barriers to UK imports.
‘It comes on the second leg of the Foreign Secretary’s three-country visit to Africa, where he is prioritising future-focussed, mutually-beneficial relationships.
‘In Lagos today, he will announce a £10 million UK-backed facility in Nigeria, in partnership with finance company InfraCredit that will 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.
‘Tomorrow, in Abuja he will announce a £55 million Propcom+ contract, a UK International Climate Finance programme 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.
‘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.
‘Together we are focussing on the future putting in place green, clean measures, both in agriculture and infrastructure development, to create climate-resilient solutions for the global challenges we all face today and will increasingly face in the years to come.’
According to a statement by his office, the support includes a 55 million-pound contract to help transform Nigeria’s rural economy and a 2.9 million-pound grant to support more than 4 million people in adopting and scaling up sustainable agricultural practices.
The new funding would boost productivity and resilience in the West African country’s agriculture sector to the impacts of climate change and help develop heat- and flood-tolerant crops and increase soil fertility, the British government added.
