The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), an NGO, in collaboration with the Association of Small Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria (ASSAPIN) has sensitized climate frontline communities on flood in Nasarawa State.
Sulaimon Arigbabu, Executive Secretary, HEDA Resource Centre said this in Doma Local Government Area of the state. According to him, flood outreach awareness became necessary, given that most far and hard-to-reach communities lack access to the right information about flood outlook and weather forecast to be able to prepare for the flood.
Arigbabu explained that when people have access to the right information and knowledge about their circumstances, they can help themselves better and avert disaster that comes with heavy rain and dry spells. He added, ‘We are currently working on flood awareness and sensitization for the climate frontline community, we have been going to several states in the country and we still have many more to go.
“In these states, we are learning from the people about their experiences as regards flooding and other climate incidences like drought, and dry spells among others. For instance, did they get to know there would be a flood, did they get the information on time, how did they get the information and how did they prepare themselves, their challenges, and what government agencies are responding to them,” he said.
Arigbabu further noted that the information and data collected aimed to help relevant Government Agencies and NGOs see the gap and plan better to be more effective in their work.
“Some of these communities are not even aware of the flood outlook released by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), is not as if the information is not available, the gap is in the dissemination. Access to improved seeds that can help reduce their loss is difficult, so, is about access, availability, and affordability of the things they need,” he emphasized.
Mr Jonathan Joshua, ASSAPIN National President, said the benefiting communities were selected based on the weather forecast and flood outlook by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency.
“The flood risks awareness is kind of information we are giving to the communities, especially riverine communities to help them prepared, if they don’t prepare the flood will take them unaware, and they will lose more.
He listed the benefiting communities to include; Rukubi, Akpanaja, Odori, Agyema, Ijiwo Okpatta, Ruti, and Iwashi communities, all in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa state.
Godwin Zauka and Mustapha Okaku, participants, while thanking the organizers said it was the first time to receive sensitization on flooding, preparation, and safety tips to avert loss. They said the flood has been a recurring event in their communities that led to the loss of their farm produce and property yearly.
The ‘Flood Awareness and sensitization’ for climate frontline communities, which HEDA Resource Centre is implementing in Nasarawa state is part of the African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) project, with support from Oxfam in Nigeria.