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Stakeholders on Thursday, August 21, 2025, converged on Abuja to develop skills to tackle climate change and its impact on agricultural growth in West and Central Africa.
They made this known at a two-day regional workshop on the revitalisation of the West and Central Africa Community of Practice (CoP) on foresight analysis.
Dr Alcade Segnon, a Scientist at the Alliance Biodiversity and International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), said that climate change is propelling additional challenges to the agriculture and food system in the region.
“And in the future, if enough actions are not taken the challenge will be worse, with more impact so there is a need to take into account the current project, develop and implement policy in the region.
“This is why foresight analysis is relevant and we are building the capacity together with our partners in the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF),’’ he said.
Segnon expressed optimism that with the new skill acquired, trainees would be able to mainstream foresight analysis and implement research programmes and policies in the region.
“So that this will help to take into account not only adaptation but also future uncertainty arising for climate change as well as non-climatic drivers such as population growth and environmental degradation,’’ he stated.
Similarly, Dr Abubakar Dabban, Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), noted that the importance of tools and methodologies to aid planning, execution, monitoring and control within the system could not be overemphasised.
“It is a fundamental pillar of strategic approach to agricultural research and development, this workshop marks yet another milestone in our collaborative journey as it represents the second major training initiative we have hosted together within the last 12 months.
“Let me assure you that the council remains committed to fostering a collaborative and innovative culture within the foresight community to drive meaningful change in our system,’’ he said.
Dabban urged stakeholders to champion the integration of the tools into operations to support strategic planning and anticipate future challenges.
“This will empower us to move beyond a reactive approach to proactively identify emerging trends, assess potential risks and develop resistance strategies that address the complex uncertainties facing our agricultural system.
“At the regional level, foresight analysis has proven instrumental in helping West and Central Africa’s agricultural research system aligned with regional development practice and priorities and goals.
“Through this workshop, we have the opportunity to strengthen our community of practice deepening our technical capability and partnership that will drive sustainable agricultural transformation across West and Central Africa,’’ he said.
The executive secretary noted that foresight analysis would foster cultural ecosystem and appealed to CORAF for increase in the training of Nigerians to frontier almost 8,000 or more than 1,000 so that the Nigerian ecosystem in general can be accommodated.
Also, Mr. Moumini Savadogo, Executive Director, CORAF, said that the importance of foresight analysis is mainly to prevent and anticipate all risks related to agriculture.
Savadogo, who was represented by Dr Esaie Kpadonou, a Soil Scientist and Climate Change Expert at CORAF, said that the foresight analysis would revitalise the community by adding new members.
“CORAF is covering 23 countries in West and Central Africa with our partners, mainly the Alliance of Bio-based Genome International and Council for Agricultural Research and Development,’’ he said.
By Abigael Joshua
