Stakeholders Call for Climate Policy Reforms to Protect Rural Communities

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Researchers, policymakers, development practitioners and community stakeholders at the weekend called for urgent policy reforms that would strengthen climate resilience, food security and livelihood protection among rural dwellers in Kwara State and across the nation.

They said that such reforms would help address food shortages nationwide and promote socio‑economic growth.

The discussion, titled “Strengthening Climate Resilience, Food Systems, and Livelihood Security in Kwara State through Evidence‑Informed Policy Action,” offered a chance to develop research‑based policy adaptation and sustainable socioeconomic livelihoods for the state’s rural communities.

Speaking at the event, Professor Andrew Onwuemele, lead researcher from the Nigeria Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) in Ibadan, Oyo State, explained that findings from the PALM‑TREEs Project revealed increasing vulnerability of rural communities to droughts, flooding, food insecurity, weak climate information systems, declining agricultural productivity and livelihood disruptions.

He noted, “The study also found that access to early warning information among vulnerable communities remained very low, limiting preparedness and response to climate shocks.”

Onwuemele highlighted that the study identified two main causes of flooding in Kwara State.

He added, “One is the overflow of River Niger into the communities. And secondly, there was the issue of the release of excess water from Kanji Dam and the Jebba Dam into the community.”