NiMet, Gain Strengthen Ties to Tackle Malnutrition with Climate Intelligence

The persistent challenge of malnutrition in Nigerian communities is receiving renewed attention as the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) strengthen their partnership.

At a strategic meeting held at NiMet headquarters in Abuja on Friday, March 21, 2025, both organizations reaffirmed their commitment to leveraging weather and climate intelligence to improve nutrition and agricultural resilience.

Professor Charles Anosike, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, emphasized the critical link between soil health, weather patterns, and nutrition.

“Nutrition begins with soil health, and weather plays a crucial role in determining soil quality and plant nutrition. It is important that we formalize our relationship with GAIN to enhance our understanding of this connection and promote sustainable agricultural practices in Nigeria,” he stated.

NiMet is already taking proactive steps by downscaling its 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction into local languages to enhance accessibility. Prof. Anosike proposed that once these climate forecasts are released, both organizations could collaborate to disseminate them to farmers, ensuring they are better equipped to manage weather-related agricultural risks.

In response, Dr. Michael Ojo, Country Director of GAIN, acknowledged NiMet’s ongoing contributions to combating malnutrition, particularly through weather forecasts and training programs for farmers and extension workers.

“We have worked with NiMet for at least three years, and they have been a reliable partner. Their support goes beyond weather forecasts—they provide critical training that helps farmers make informed decisions. Moving forward, we aim to expand this partnership to include joint research and capacity-building initiatives,” Dr. Ojo stated.

The collaboration will also focus on climate change, environmental impact on agriculture, and food systems. Both organizations plan to leverage their respective expertise to enhance agricultural resilience through improved crop calendars, optimized climate predictions for key crops, and the expansion of climate forecasting in indigenous languages.

This strengthened partnership signals a progressive step toward ensuring that Nigerian farmers and food systems are better prepared to combat malnutrition through informed, climate-smart agricultural practices.

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Photo Caption:

(Left to Right) Professor Charles Anosike, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and Dr. Michael Ojo, Country Director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), during a strategic meeting on improving nutritional health at NiMet headquarters in Abuja on Friday, March 21, 2025.