Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NIMET has advised farmers to commence this year’s farming activities around the 28th of February as the onset of rainfall is predicted to commence between April and May in the Central States and June to July in the Northern States.
The Agency predicts that the duration of the rainfall season would be adequate for the planting of various crops in accordance with their cropping calendars.
The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, while unveiling NiMet’s seasonal climate prediction for the year in Abuja said the growing season was expected to last between 250 to 300 days in Southern parts and between 100 to 200 days in the North.
He explained that States like Kwara, Oyo, Lagos, Nasarawa, Benue, Bayelsa and Rivers were likely to experience shorter than normal length of the growing season while prolonged growing season is expected in parts of the plateau, Edo and the Imo States.
According to Hadi Sirika, the total annual rainfall in most parts of the country will be normal.
A range of 390 milimetres in the north to over 2000 milmiles of rain is expected in the South, while 390 milimetre to 790 milimetre is expected in some parts of Bornu, Yobe, Jigawa, Katsina and Sokoto States, he noted.
Sen Sirika said between May to August moderate dry spells for up to 15 days will occur in parts of Adamawa, Benue, Kogi, Ekiti, Kwara, Niger, FCT, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi, and the Gombe States.
The Minister of Aviation recalled the recent devastating effects of the Batsiral Cyclone in Madagascar and flight cancellations in Nigeria caused by Climate Change.
He noted that the Climate Pr predictions would help operators in all sectors plan, prepare and mitigate losses as a result of weather change.
The Director-General of NiMet, Professor Mansur Matazu said the seasonal Climate Prediction was important to all sectors but particularly to agriculture as the Federal Government wishes to use the sector to pull one hundred million Nigerians out of poverty.
Farmers from the FCT, Imo, Katsina, and Niger States at the event attested to the accuracy and benefits of previous seasonal Climate Predictions.
RN
