Africa Policymakers highlights opportunities at the Africa Climate Week

The Africa Climate Week (ACW) is the first of three annual regional climate events this year to chart a pathway for Africa to the UN Climate Action Summit happening in New York in September, 2019. At the summary event of the ACW on Friday, March 22nd, African policymakers presented the key takeaways to Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba, UN Secretary-General`s Special Envoy for this year`s Climate Action Summit, who will pass them on for deliberation at the September gathering. These takeaways were organized around three themes which were the focus of discussions at the Climate Week- CITIES & LOCAL ACTION, ENERGY TRANSITION, AND NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS and which correspond directly to three of the `Transformational Areas` that the United Nations Secretary-General has specially selected to guide the Summit in New York City later in the year. The highlights from the ACW centred around the following: • Africa has solutions to climate change which need to be scaled up and participants across sectors are mobilized for taking action because we can go much farther if we all go together. • Africa Youth have the potentials for taking action on climate change and as a matter of urgency, the continent must harness their enthusiasm and strengthen their capacities, • African policymakers are now concertedly focusing on the opportunities of their countries` Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). NDCs are national climate action plans under the Paris Agreement. . Securing this level of progress is a necesaary investment for the future of our planet, that needs to be facilitated with proper enabling environments and regionally-tailored financial instruments, such as green climate bonds, special-purpose bonds and crowdfunding platforms. The world is currently at a tipping point and further delay may be hazardous. This year is a unique chance to take action on climate change and we sincerely hope that world leaders at the climate summit deliver on their promises and commitments towards the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and that the September Summit would deliver not just documents of declaration, but a concrete list of actions to be taken to achieve our goals. #AfricAfricaClimateWeek #climateaction #climatesolutions #youthaction

CLIMATE CHANGE AND AGRICULTURE IN NIGERIA

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is in West Africa between Latitudes 4° to 14° North and between Longitudes 2°2` and 14° 30` East. To the north, the country is bounded by the Niger Republic and Chad; in the west by the Benin Republic, in the East by Cameroon Republic and to the south by the Atlantic Ocean. Environment of Nigeria (FMEN, 2011) 1993 estimate of irrigated land is 9 570km² and arable land about 35%; 15% pasture; 10% forest reserve; 10% for settlements and the remaining 30% considered uncultivable for one reason or the other. Nigeria is a country with diverse agro-ecological zones, seasons, crops and farming systems. For a majority of people in Nigeria, to this day, agriculture is the main source of livelihood and contributing over 40% of the country`s total GDP. Agriculture is one of the sectors most vulnerable to global climate change impact; the impact is even stronger in Nigeria as it is inherently sensitive to climate variability and climate Change is already impacting on Nigerian Agriculture in various direct and indirect ways. This obviously means an impact on the lives and livelihoods of millions of Nigerians, where agriculture is truly essential for the daily subsistence, and where adaptive capacity is low. IPCC (2007) indicated that smallholder and subsistent farmers will suffer complex, localized impacts of climate change. Climate change is already manifesting itself in many ways across the country. Among the indicators, is the 150 percent above normal rainfall that lashed the country in 2012 leaving many homeless, destroying and sacking farm lands? Uncertainties in the onset of the farming season, due to changes in rainfall characteristics; Extreme weather events such as thunderstorms, heavy winds, and floods, devastate farmlands and can lead to crop failure; Insecurity – conflict between farmers and pastoralist and parts of the country that experienced soil erosion and operate rain-fed agriculture could have decline in agricultural yield of up to 50 % between 2000 – 2020 due to increasing impact of climate change (Agoumi, 2003; IPCC, 2007). While climate change affects Nigerian farming and farmers` livelihoods adversely, the converse is also true- Nigerian agriculture, even if not in the same degree as the developed world`s agriculture, does contribute to climate change, Farming activities – bush burning, over grazing, fertilizer application etc. Extreme and unpredictable weather conditions are part of the reality of climate change even as temperature rise and changes in rainfall, changes in pest and disease incidence etc., will also be the stark reality for farmers. What the situation then requires are RESILIENT AND ADAPTIVE FARMING SYSTEMS with the least amount of loss to the productive resources, production and the farmer. One of the most important requirements for adaptation would be farmers` knowledge, in negotiating complex agro-systems. Several large organic farming projects across the world have built successful institutional models for systematic support for farmers` knowledge, innovation and constant enhancement. This forms a key part of the adaptation potential for sustainable agriculture. To address extreme weather conditions, organic farms will be better suited. The better drainage and water holding capacity of organic soils reduces the risk of drought and soil erosion. For instance, Organic farming practices are in a good position to maintain productivity in the event of drought, irregular rainfall events and rising temperatures, notes a technical paper from International Trade Center (WTO) and FiBL. This paper notes that soils under organic management retain significantly more rainwater, thanks to the “sponge properties” of organic matter. Water percolation is 15-20% more in organic systems. Water capture in organic plots was twice as high as conventional plots during torrential rains, which in turn reduces the risk of floods. The most important component of organic systems – diversity- contributes a lot to the resilience of organic farms. Enhanced biodiversity of organic farms have several positive implications- pest prevention, and similar effects on diseases, better utilization of soil nutrients and water etc. organic farming is also associated with decreased irrigation needs by about 30-50%. This becomes an important part of adaptation in drought conditions. Given the mitigation and adaptation potential of organic systems, as well as the potential to increase food security, it becomes imperative to shift agriculture in Nigeria towards more ecological farming models which are sustainable. Further, sustainable agriculture holds great potential for meeting global and national food security requirements even as it leads to improvement of farmers` livelihoods through enhancing their net incomes and improving the productivity of their resources in the long run. KAZEEM AISHA TITILOLA

TITILOLA KAZEEM PARTICIPATION AT UNFCCC COP17 IN DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA

I applied to be a youth delegate at the UNFCCC COP 17 through Centre for 21st Century Issues, C21st is a non-governmental organization based in Lagos which responds to the emergent key issues of the 21st century and one of their thematic focuses is on climate change. I work as a Program Assistant with C21st in their youth projects on climate change. Few weeks back, I was in Durban at the United Nations Climate Talks, South Africa, the two weeks at the conference was the best weeks of my life, though challenging and disheartening but it was glorious. I`d spent two weeks with a clear aim, working with groups of peers with a shared goal and more than enough enthusiasm to make up for our lack of resources. I arrived in Durban with a naive mind and ready to make a change on a truly daunting scale being my first time at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties (UNFCCC COP). I was highly proactive and really want to learn much about the COP. I participated in the UNFCCCC conference of Youths (COY), COY is conference of young people where they gather to submit their prospects and also learn more about the issues, share experience and build capacities. I also participated in the following UNFCCC Youth non- governmental daily meetings (YOUNGO), Nigerian Youth at COP meeting, African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC), side events, actions and demonstrations, interviews, lobbying etc. The prominent amongst my activities at the COP was the organization of the first of its kind the teleconference with the Nigerian youth residing in Lagos who are unable to be present in Durban. The teleconference was organized by 3 passionate young Nigerians with the interest of inclusive participation with people back home (Titilola Kazeem, Zaid Shopeju and Issiah Oluwatobi) in partnership with CISCO. This was a very successful one as we were able to bring on board one of the experienced Nigerian delegates, renowned Nigerian Social activists, and passionate young environmentalists from other parts of the world to discuss with Nigerian youths at home. The bizarre experiences are what convey the wonder of it best. I participated in the campaign to demonstrate our support for Africa to extend the Kyoto Protocol in Durban and not allow it to die on the African soil. After all the conference did not deliver a solution but the way the decisions were made was fast, closed and undemocratic. Documents were released and agreed faster than we could get to the documents counter to collects them, let alone read them. This was not the open, consensus process the UNFCCC likes to claim it is. This was old- fashioned, closed door diplomacy. If that was an effective, way of delivering solution, I`d be happy, but it isn’t. It left decisions till the eleventh (if only it was that early) and gave poorer nations no input whatsoever. I have met people of character, sharing common goals as I do and full of energy to help change the world. I have emerged from what I can only define as a great struggle to stronger emergence. It is now 2012. As I start a new year, it is not about finding a new challenge, but about finding a way to continue the old one, and use the skills, connections and experience I have built. For me, this year is about action at home, using knowledge from outside in the context I know best.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties 17 Climate Change Studio Interviews

Interviews at the Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa.