By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have organized a two day national workshop on flood trigger framework development in collaboration with the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet), National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the State Emergency Development Agencies of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States on Monday and Tuesday in Yola.
“The event which is funded by the German government as a capacity-building workshop focused on flood preparedness and anticipatory action with a goal to strengthen resilience in Northeast Nigeria’s flood-prone communities.
Agriculture Specialist, FAO Nigeria, Mr Gift Umor, Climate Smart in his opening remarks said:
“As perennial flooding incidents intensify across Northern Nigeria, it is critical to strengthen anticipatory action and disaster readiness to mitigate future flood impacts.
“Key discussions will cover institutionalized flood-trigger frameworks, advanced flood monitoring systems, and the role of early warning communication to reduce disaster risk,” Umor said
Participants were engaged in practical training, expert-led panel discussions, and collaborative planning sessions.
He added that the workshop brought together representatives from government agencies, disaster management practitioners, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and members of the Nigeria Anticipatory Action Task Force, co-chaired by United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), World Food Programme (WFP), and FAO.
According to him, the technical presentations were delivered by specialists from NIHSA, NiMet, and NASRDA, ensuring a comprehensive approach to flood preparedness and response while the workshop underscored 80th FAO’s commitment to supporting flood-risk communities and advancing disaster preparedness across Nigeria .
The Deputy Director, NIHSA, Mr John Gbadegesin, in his address urged citizens residing in flood-prone areas to consider relocating to minimise the adverse impact of floods and save lives, noting that the agency provides early warning information, promptly disseminated to state governments, local communities, critical stakeholders, and humanitarian organisations.
“However, in many flood-prone areas, residents often hold on to traditional beliefs, cultural ties, and emotional attachments to their communities.
“We hope this workshop fosters renewed collaboration among federal and state actors, leading to reduced flood impact and a shift in public attitudes toward flood preparedness.”Gbadegesin said
The Assistant Director, NASRDA, Mr Ademuyiwa Oyewum highlighted on the essential role of earth observation satellites in disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and management.
He stressed that satellite data was invaluable, providing insights into forecasts, flood extents, and damage assessments through satellite imagery, which assists in resource allocation and planning through the collaborative framework of the key stakeholders to create an approach to reduce flood risks, protect lives, and build resilient communities in the North East region and across Nigeria
