United Kingdom (UK) has announced an investment of £95 million in climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture in Nigeria.

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced the pledge at the Conference of Parties (COP) 27 on Climate Change in Sharm El Sheikh City of Egypt.

Propcom+ is a UK International Climate Finance (ICF) programme to support the transformation of Nigeria’s rural economy.

According to the UK senior official, the new investment is set to enhance productivity, adapt and build resilience, and protect and restore Nature.

The commitment to Nigeria formed part of the UK support worth over £100 million to developing countries to deal with climate change.

Details of the support noted that at least four million Nigerians, including two million women, will benefit to increase productivity and adapt to the effects of climate change while at the same time reducing emissions.

“This new programme is also set to help address key barriers to sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria.

“For example, through the adoption and scaling of practices such as heat and flood-tolerant crop varieties and integrated soil fertility management.

“It will work with Nigeria’s vibrant private sector on agriculture to increase productivity, improve nutrition and food security, enhance climate resilience, pursue lower emissions and halt and reverse biodiversity loss, as well as helping to tackle some of Nigeria’s underlying drivers of conflict and insecurity,” revealed the details obtained in Sharm El Sheikh.

In his remark, Mr Cleverly said, “the Glasgow Climate Pact gave the world the tools to limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees and build a secure and sustainable future.”

He stressed that it was time for countries to set up actions on climate change, noting that the UK will continue to support them.

Justifying the support, UK Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Nigeria, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, said Nigeria was extremely vulnerable to climate change and land degradation.

He explained that the risks are increasing due to worsening food insecurity.

“Tackling climate change and biodiversity loss is a key UK international priority, and we remain committed to supporting inclusive and resilient climate growth in Nigeria through the Propcom+ programme, which will build on the successes and lessons from the previous engagement and deliver on adaptation and resilience, and on nature for climate and people,” said the UK deputy high commissioner in Nigeria. 

(NAN)