Wednesday 19 September 2018

20 delegates, 15 countries storm UI for climate change conference

By Temitope Musowo 

Delegates from 15 different countries across Africa and Europe have stormed the International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan,Nigeria,  for a 2-day  workshop on Climate Change Adaptation in Africa slated for 19th and 20th of September, 2018.

The conference which is the second of its kind this year is jointly organised by the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Rome, Italy, with the theme: “Enhancing IFAD's Evidence-informed Country Strategic Opportunities Programmes and Projects in Design and Technical Advisory Supports to Adapt to Climate Change in West and Central Africa”.  

According to a press statement signed by the workshop coordinator, Dr. Olawale Emmanuel Olayide, the workshop will facilitate the cooperation agenda between IFAD and Research Institutes/Academia, Business Schools with the support of African research in the area of climate resilient agriculture, with the objective of discussing and sharing experiences on climate change and integration of research into development strategies and investments in the regions. 

The statement further stated that,  the theoretical exchange proposed would focus on understating climate change adaptation in Africa.,adding that the workshop aim at assessing implementation mechanisms, as a means to promote progress made in terms of adaptation of smallholder farmers to climate change.

"This is equally expected to explore a range of topics to deepen and widen the understanding of the role of research with respect to its responsibility for offering a wide spectrum of research work and services to IFAD investment and strategies", the statement read. 

Dr Layide further stated that, "the  workshop would help IFAD identify relevant pipeline of research on adaptation relevant to IFAD’s programmes and projects, moreover,it will elaborate upon efforts within the field of research and which aim at advancing the implementation of IFAD work at country and regional levels.

On the activities lined up for the workshop, the statement reads further, "there will be field activities and classroom discussions. Presentation and discussion sessions will include: climate change adaptation and sustainable rural livelihoods; climate change resilience and disaster risks management; climate change and system dynamics; climate change project financing and insurance mechanisms; and climate change information service and 

Some of the countries represented at the conference include; Sudan, Niger, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Benin, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal, Nigeria, and Italy.