By Miriam Humbe
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), led by its Director-General/CEO, Prof. Charles Anosike, paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Livestock Development on Tuesday, 16 December 2025.
Prof. Anosike presented the maiden edition of the Livestock Weather Bulletin, noting that: “The purpose of this visit is to present to the Minister, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, the maiden edition of the Livestock Weather Bulletin.”
He explained that the bulletin provides timely and accurate weather information tailored for livestock farmers, enabling informed decision-making, improved productivity, effective planning, and reduced exposure to climate and weather-related risks.
Prof. Anosike said the central role of meteorological information in livestock production, stating that: “Weather information is crucial for livestock farming, influencing animal health such as heat stress and disease, feed and water availability through pasture growth and drought conditions, breeding cycles, and daily operations including housing and manure management.”
He added that reliable forecasts help farmers take proactive decisions that reduce financial risks and improve production outcomes.
He further reaffirmed NiMet’s mandate as the national authority on weather and climate services and expressed the Agency’s readiness to partner with the Ministry to provide training and capacity building for extension officers and livestock farmers to enhance the use of meteorological information and promote climate-resilient livestock systems.
The Minister, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha emphasised the importance of weather information and forecasting, citing its practical value to his private farming investments and how he personally relies on weather forecasts in managing his farm.
He disclosed that the Ministry has identified 417 grazing reserves nationwide and has recently received approval for their rehabilitation, stressing that collaboration with NiMet is essential to ensure the initiative is climate-smart and resilient to weather challenges.
He also revealed plans for a situation room in the Ministry’s new office complex, where live weather data will be displayed on a dashboard, and welcomed NiMet’s alignment with government policies aimed at modernising the livestock sector.
The meeting concluded with an agreement by both parties to establish a technical working group by January 2026 to identify and prioritise areas of collaboration.
It was also agreed that a Memorandum of Understanding would be drafted and signed by the first quarter of 2026 to formalise cooperation on weather data sharing and training, alongside plans to organise joint workshops and capacity-building programmes in early 2026.
