PAPER DELIVERED AT THE RURAL IS COOL CONFERENCE 2025 WITH THE THEME: REVITALIZING RURAL: INNOVATION, CULTURE & SUSTAINABILITY HELD AT THE DOME, AKURE ON 20TH JUNE 2025 BY DR. AKINYEMI ALBERT FADIYIMU
It is a well-known fact that agriculture is a venture full of risks – soil fertility, pests, weather, finances, markets, human activities and changing government policies. Over the years, farmers have evolved different cultural practices to manage or mitigate these sometimes unpredictable risks inherent in the agricultural profession. In recent years, however, managing weather-related risks has become more cumbersome, as weather patterns become more variable from day to day, season to season and year to year.
In southern Nigeria, the weather used to follow a fairly predictable pattern up till a couple of decades ago. Rainy season used to last from March to October, with two peaks in June and September, and a pause in August, while dry season lasts from November to February, characterized by hot and dry weather with harmattan and cold spell in December and January. Everyone knew when different fruits and crops would ripen and will be available in the market. The pattern is totally different today and it is getting harder to predict with every new season.
Nowadays, if the rainy season starts early enough, i.e. in March, it may break in April/May, then pick up again in June and July, break again in August, and finish off in October. Another pattern could be a late start in April/May, break in July/August, finishing normally in October or later in November. Coupled with these are unpredictable occurrences of heavy rainfall which hinder fieldwork and bring flooding, as well as prolonged dry season. As the growing season becomes warmer, pest populations increase. Warmer rainy season also causes fruit trees to bloom earlier, the flowers become dry and fall off, thereby increasing the risk of total fruit crop failure.
These changes in weather patterns have created a new kind of risk that has grown in importance in recent years. This is called climate change risk, and it is defined as the additional risk created by warmer environmental temperatures and more unpredictable rainfall patterns associated with changing climate conditions. It is also known as global warming because it is universal in nature. The good news is that many of the best strategies for addressing risk of climate change are quite familiar to rural smallholder farmers based on their indigenous traditional practices such as mixed cropping, mulching, composting, zero tillage, and other local techniques which aligns with sustainable agriculture.
A climate resilient and sustainable agricultural operation focuses on farming practices that prioritize soil health, biodiversity and efficient water use. Its key goals include improved soil health and efficient water utilization through practices like cover cropping and organic manuring which enhances soil water-holding capacity, reduces erosion and improves soil fertility. It also involves growing multiple crops, integrating crops and livestock and planting drought resistant crop varieties which helps to build resilience to climate related shocks, such as drought and floods. Moreover, it incorporates technologies like irrigation, crop rotation, integrated pest management, agroforestry and conservation agriculture to help farmers adapt to changing weather patterns.
Unfortunately, most of these practices are being jettisoned for intensive farming practices such as monocropping, heavy use of pesticides and herbicides, maximum tillage and other intensive agricultural systems being practiced all over the world in a bid to meet the ever-increasing food needs of the Nigerian and global populace, but which are unsustainable. Thus, the goal of achieving sustainable agriculture and climate resilience in Nigeria will be better and more quickly achieved if our government and non-governmental organizations can improve upon and promote the indigenous farming practices of our rural farmers by making it more climate resilient and sustainable and by encouraging more Nigerians particularly the youths to imbibe rural lifestyle and culture.
Rural communities are more vulnerable to the impact of climate change because of their heavy reliance on agriculture as a means of livelihood and limited access to resources which are needed to mitigate the risks. Even more so, these communities face significant barriers in adapting to climate change due to lack of access to information and inadequate infrastructure. Bearing in mind that smallholder farmers most of whom resides in the rural areas contribute significantly to food production in Nigeria, it is therefore imperative on stakeholders to build resilient rural communities through focus on providing farmers with training, tools and support to adopt climate smart agricultural techniques. In addition, reducing rural-urban migration and fostering rural lifestyle and culture among Nigerian youths is crucial in ensuring food security, curbing youth unemployment, improving rural dwellers livelihoods and promoting environmental sustainability in the face of climate change and its associated risks.
One practical way of achieving this is by developing carbon credit schemes and integrating rural dwellers into it through participating in projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or remove carbon from the atmosphere. Carbon credit is a permit which allows the owner to emit certain amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) or other greenhouse gases. Carbon credit can be traded, i.e. bought or sold. One carbon credit is equal to one ton of CO2 equivalent emissions (tCO2e) which is 556.2m3 of gas which is worth $30 to $50 per tCO2e. Carbon credits are bought by governments or organizations engaged in industrial activities that emit greenhouse gases from governments, organizations or individuals who establish projects that help avoid or reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Such projects include the following:
Agroforestry: Farmers can earn carbon credits by implementing agroforestry practices, such as planting trees on their farms, which help to sequester carbon and improve soil health.
Forest Conservation: Protecting and restoring forests and wildlife can generate carbon credits, and communities can benefit from sustainable forest management practices.
Renewable Energy: Installing renewable energy systems like solar panels or biogas digesters can reduce reliance on fossil fuels and generate carbon credits.
Sustainable Agriculture: Implementing sustainable farming practices such as reduced tillage, cover cropping and efficient fertilizer use, can help reduce emissions and generate carbon credits.
In Nigeria, carbon credit scheme is expected to commence anytime soon with the finalization in March 2025 of the Nigerian Carbon Market Activation Policy (NCMAP). The NCMAP is formulated to create a structured and transparent carbon market, attracting both domestic and international investment in carbon credit projects. It is projected that the market will be worth up to $2.5 billion by 2030 and generate millions of jobs for Nigerians. The prospect is such that the overall global demand for carbon credit, particularly those from Africa, is expected to rise, potentially driving up prices.
Thus, carbon credit projects can lead to better access to clean energy, improved sanitation, and enhanced sustainable agricultural practices, while at the same time generating financial and social benefits. However, inherent challenges should be addressed like the requirement for technical support and capacity building for youths and rural dwellers to enable their effective participation as well as assisting them with market access and securing fair prices. In addition, the policy should be one that ensures fair and equitable distribution of proceeds of carbon credit among all community members.
In conclusion, carbon credits offer a promising avenue for rural communities to participate in the global effort to address climate change through sustainable agricultural practices. However, it is essential to ensure that carbon credit projects are designed in a way that is equitable, sustainable, and empowers local communities.
Thank you.
