BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The (NiMet) and have intensified efforts to boost climate resilience in Nigeria’s agricultural sector with a five-day co-design workshop to refine the Digital Climate Advisory Service (DCAS) Decision Tree.
The workshop, running from February 12 to 16, 2026, marks a critical phase in the agencies’ collaboration to deliver smarter, data-driven weather guidance to farmers.
At the heart of the engagement is the development of a Crop Decision Tree (CDT) framework that integrates farmer feedback, scientific expertise and localized seasonal forecasts into practical, easy-to-use advisories.
Participants include officials from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, and farmer development groups — a broad coalition aimed at aligning NiMet’s 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction with real farm operations.
The enhanced system is designed to generate automated, actionable advisories tailored to specific climate realities, including delayed rainfall, early seasonal onset, or prolonged dry spells.
By translating complex meteorological data into clear guidance on planting, irrigation and harvesting, the initiative seeks to reduce weather-related risks and improve productivity across crop and livestock value chains.
The Chief Executive Officer representative of Tomorrow.io, Brian Miranda, commended Prof. Charles Anosike, Director-General of NiMet, for what he described as bold and strategic leadership.
He expressed appreciation to Anosike, recognising “his foresight and strategic leadership in positioning NiMet as a leading National Hydrometeorological Service (NHMS) in Africa.”
Miranda noted that NiMet’s embrace of artificial intelligence in meteorology would significantly strengthen early warning systems for extreme weather events and enhance the agency’s capacity to safeguard communities.
In his remarks, Prof. Charles Anosike described the digital advisory initiative as transformative for Nigerian farmers.
He said the new service is “a game changer” that will help farmers make smarter decisions based on weather information. According to him, the platform is built to support farmers in their daily activities by providing advice that is simple, practical and easy to understand.
The workshop will conclude with a technical deep-dive session focused on finalising the DCAS Decision Tree — a tool tailored to Nigeria’s diverse agro-ecological zones.
By blending scientific modelling with grassroots input, the partners aim to deliver a climate intelligence system that turns forecasts into farm-level action, strengthening resilience in an era of increasing weather volatility.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
