CLIMATE-RESILIENT AGRICULTURE IN NIGERIA: EVALUATING THE LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL ADAPTATION

Abstract

Climate change poses a significant threat to agricultural productivity and food security in Nigeria by increasing the frequency and intensity of droughts, floods, desertification and other extreme weather occurrences. These challenges necessitate climate-resilient agricultural practices capable of enhancing adaptive capacity, reducing vulnerability and ensuring sustainable food production. Against this backdrop, this paper examines climate-resilient agriculture in Nigeria from a legal perspective, with particular emphasis on the adequacy of the existing legal, policy and institutional frameworks supporting agricultural adaptation. Employing the doctrinal legal research methodology, the paper analyses relevant international climate change instruments and Nigeria's domestic legal and policy frameworks governing climate-resilient agriculture. It further evaluates the progress made in promoting climate-smart agricultural practices while identifying key challenges hindering their effective implementation. These challenges include weak enforcement of relevant laws and policies, inadequate funding, limited technical and institutional capacity, poor coordination among implementing agencies, low farmer awareness, and insecurity. The paper finds that although Nigeria has made appreciable progress through policy development and adaptation initiatives, significant implementation and enforcement gaps continue to undermine the effectiveness of these measures. It concludes that strengthening institutional coordination, enhancing enforcement mechanisms, increasing investment in climate-resilient agriculture, improving farmer education and extension services, and addressing insecurity are essential to building a sustainable and resilient agricultural sector capable of ensuring long-term food security and climate adaptation in Nigeria.