Food security: NiMet presents raingauges, trains BATNF officers

From: Walter Ukaegbu, Abuja.

The Federal Government Food Security Programme received a boost recently when the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) presented raingauges and measuring cylinders to the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) in fulfilment of the agreement signed earlier in the year to provide technical support, weather information as well as training for BATNF Field officers. This will help BATNF fulfil its objective to provide support for smallholder farmers in Nigeria.

Speaking during the formal presentation of the rainguages at  the Leaf Head Office, BAT Iseyin Agronomy Limited, Iseyin, Oyo State, the director-general/CEO, NiMet, Prof. Sani Abubakar Mashi, who was represented by the general manager/head of Weather Forecasting Services Department, Mr. Ibrahim Ishiyaku, said the event was not just a demonstration of the agency’s support for the Federal Government Food Security Programme but also a practical commitment to the memorandum of understanding signed with BATNF.

He disclosed that NiMet was not only presenting the raingauges and measuring cylinders but would also train field officers of BATNF on the use of the weather instruments for climate monitoring.

Mashi said the event would translate to better forecasts for farmers and guarantee improved yields. He admonished BATNF to ensure that the equipment was well manned and to commit to transmission of the data to NiMet for improved weather forecasting service.

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