Nigeria is at risk of losing N69 trillion to climate change, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heinken Lokpobiri, has stated.
He spoke at the 2016 World Food Day celebration at the weekend in Abuja.
Lokpobiri stated Nigeria may also lose up to 30 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2050 to climate change impacts.
According to him, 70 per cent of the nation largely depends on agriculture.
The minister said the federal government through the ministry had to establish the Department of Agriculture, Land and Climate Change to reverse the trend.
According to him: โNigeria is the most populous country in Africa and therefore the most vulnerable to climate change with about 70% of her over 180 million people dependent on agriculture for their livelihood.โ
The Minister noted that policy integration was critical towards building climate resilience.
He added that the ministry established an advisory committee on Agriculture Resilience to develop the National Agricultural Resilience Framework aimed at enhancing productivity and boost food security while protecting the environment.
Lokpobiri said as a signatory to the Paris Agreement, the federal government is committed to reducing global warming below 2 degrees.
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Country Representative, Louis Setshwaelo, said the organisation has been committed to supporting the government on issues relating to agricultural development and climate change.
Setshwaelo, who was represented by her deputy Dr. Raba Mani, said the symposium would contribute to the nationโs position in the international climate change conference scheduled to hold in Marrakesh, Morocco.
