Agriculture and food security in Northern Nigeria, Part I: The implications of climate change

Agriculture is an important economic activity in Northern Nigeria. National food security is dependent not only on adequate food production and the availability of food, but also access, utilization, and stability. However, climate change has far-reaching impacts on agricultural productivity, posing a threat to food security in Northern Nigeria, the agricultural hub of the country. Further, extreme climatic events such as heat waves, droughts, floods, and wildfires are combining with long-term trends such as higher temperatures, rainfall variations, and changes in precipitation patterns, which have implications for the agricultural ecosystem ranging from crops and fisheries to livestock production. These expose vulnerabilities of farmers in Northern Nigeria who lack resources fundamental to resilience, including finance, technology, and knowledge. This paper aims to examine the impacts of climate change on food security in Northern Nigeria, thus providing pieces of evidence so that policymakers can take action and promote a sustainable solution.