Modern and mechanised methods of agriculture are still not mainstream in Nigeria; Interestingly, such orthodox farming activities such as overgrazing and bush burning contribute to GHG emissions; FAO and IFAD urge local farmers to adapt to climate change, beckon on the government to assist; This assistance should come not only as monetary contributions but capacity development, according to Expert.
The activities of herders and subsistence farmers contribute to GHG emissions more than the automobile industry.
In truth, global warming is no new concept. So much so that most ignore it. To say nothing of Greenhouse Gas emissions. For the most part, the consensus relegated the idea as this remote concept involving industries or advanced countries. However, Dataphyte’s analysis shows how mundane activities as overgrazing or bush burning contribute to GHG emissions, a precursor for global warming.
GHG emissions release components gases into the atmosphere; its effects are straight-up bad, ranging from a warmer temperature, pest adaptation, drought, and flooding. However, its correlation with subsistence farming is a bit more complicated.
Trend Patterns On GHG Emission From Nigeria
First, Dataphyte aggregated data on carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions of the GHG family from the Climate Watch Data Explorer. And although the results are not as dire as in advanced countries like the United States, the absence of a strategy for checkmating this problem raises alarms. The unit of measurement employed, MtCOe, corresponds to metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. It represents an amount of a GHG whose atmospheric impact has been standardised to that of one unit mass of carbon dioxide (CO), based on the gas’s global warming potential (GWP).
Even worse, data from Climate Watch Data Explorer shows that among the usual suspects, emissions from agriculture stand foremost; revelations that stand contrary to popular belief of automobiles causing the most GHG emissions.
But perhaps this revelation stems from the industrialisation the automobile sector has seen in recent years. In contrast, Nigeria’s agricultural production has remained unmechanised for the most part; a sentiment the President of International Fund for Agricultural Development echoed. For Gilbert Houngbo, local farmers must adapt to climate change. Even more critical are investments to equip local farmers for modern agriculture, he added.
Source: Climate Watch Data Explorer
How subsistent activities contribute to GHG emissions
Climate and Environment Specialist, Mr Agbo Chinonso Bathlomeo goes on to explain the preceding points. According to the Environmentalist, some subsistence farmers’ everyday practices may be causing more harm than most realise.
First, animals’ overproduction gives a helping hand to increase the amount of GHG in the atmosphere. He explains the enteric fermentation that occurs when ruminant animals such as cattle feed on grasses; it results in methane release through microbes as dung, which evaporates into the atmosphere.
And although Nigeria is under-producing animals such as cattle and chickens, we still have to worry about livestock farmers, according to Praise Uke. The Agriculture and Environment Expert explained the multiplier effect of herders owning a hundred cattle, and the inadvertent release of methane into the atmosphere.
Improper Land Use Management
In the same vein, (some) farmers’ uneducated habit of forest burning contributes to GHG emissions. How? The absence of vegetation results in excess CO, as plants cannot absorb the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide raises the temperature of an environment; this is why vegetation is so important as it makes such a region habitable. Ergo, excess carbon dioxide results in global warming.
The preceding helps us understand why states in Nigeria with less vegetation stay hot during the dry season. Chief examples being Borno State with the hottest temperature of 43ºC, Sokoto at 42ºC and Katsina 40ºC, among others.
Thus, neglecting a reforestation plan is too steep a price, according to Chinonso. He added that as the country develops, it should leverage the advantages trees provide.
The corollary effect of increased rice production
Following the ban on rice importation in 2015, Nigeria has grown so much in its rice production. But with this gain came unintended consequences according to Praise Uke. Implications that have led to increased nitrogen into the atmosphere.
For the Agricultural expert, rice production is not the problem. However, farmers misusing nitrogen fertilisers poses challenges; this happens when farmers use manure above grass level, causing nitrogen to escape into the air.
Agric Budget and implications for SDG 2: Zero Hunger
Earlier this year, the President of IFAD, Gilbert Houngbo, announced that the local farmers need to adapt to climate change or face the high spread of hunger throughout the country. And in the same breath, beckoned the government to assist small-scale farmers.
But so far the Nigerian government’s allocation to this sector, no less small-scale farmers, has been less than stellar. Premium Times reports how the government always flaunted the MAPUTO declarations of 2003, which stipulates member states contribute at least ten percent of its budget to agriculture and rural development. However, for all the negligence to this sector, it contributed 30.77% of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product in the third quarter of 2020.
But for Agbo Chinonso, intervention does not just mean funds, but knowledge. The Agric expert explained that subsistence farmers’ activities continue to exacerbate the problem amid the climate crisis.
“Farmers with little knowledge might invest so much in fertilisers and increasingly contribute to global warming, leaving the communities starving of farm produce.”
Another huge implication of all this is the second Sustainable Development Goal. But if the goal is to end hunger, why emphasise subsistence farming? Even the FAO noted a disparity in income and productivity of small-scale and large scale producers. Hence, shouldn’t the smart be a top-down approach? However, the same FAO answers this question in a report that outlines the vulnerability of small-scale producers. A sentiment the IFAD leaned towards: should there be famine, these (small-scale farmers) will be the worst hit, thus necessitating government assistance via funds and capacity building.
Mr Chinonso captured it succinctly:
“Our agricultural sector’s significant problem is local farmers who are less educated about smart agriculture, modern agriculture, and biogas will continually suffer.”