ACCAI-UNN NEWSLETTER REPORTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION

A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OFTHEAFRICA CLIMATE CHANGEADAPTATION INITIATIVE
From the
VC’S SUITE
From the Chairman’s
Office
Activity Reports -
News -in -Brief:
- IMPACT SITES EXCURSION:
- Curriculum Review Workshop:
- Research and Policy Symposium:
- Media Engagement:
- Clergy Engagement:
- Training on Development of Materials:
18
32-33
5
Contents
Editorial
2
3
Overview of
ACCAI-UNN
7
CLIMATE CHANGE - Impacts and Responses In Nigeria
4
From the
DIRECTOR’S DESK
6
The TD Winter School: A Participant’s View 16
10
Community Focus -
Tackling the Amucha Erosion
30
- I.A. Madu
02
ANTHONIAACHIKE,
Editor-in-Chief
Director ACCAI-UNN
EDLYNE ANUGWOM
Editor/Activity Lead
Member PIC, ACCAI-UNN
SAMUEL OGUNMEFUN
Editorial Assistant
Programme Assistant ACCAI-UNN
01
E d i t o r i a l
Team
Flooding menace in Oyedega, Ibaji in Kogi State
The ACCAI Newsletter is published quarterly
by the Africa Climate Change Adaptation
Initiative (ACCAI), University of Nigeria
Nsukka (UNN). The Newsletter is part of the
current OSF sponsored Initiatives on Climate
ChangeAdaptation in the University.
A road re-paved by erosion in Nanka
Traditional compound wall threatened by gully erosion
18
20
22
23
27
28
-Chijioke Emenalo
- E. E. Anugwom

04
t is my pleasure to welcome you to this
maiden edition of the ACCAI-UNN News.
IThis quarterly is a publication of the
ACCAI-UNN programme generously
sponsored by the Open Society Foundation
(OSF) under the Higher Education Support
Programme . The ACCAI initiative
which exists in a couple of other African
countries is a broad response of the
innovative OSF to the multi-layered and
challenging climate change and
environmental problems inAfrica. However,
each of theACCAI initiatives while anchored
on the emergent universal concern with
climate change adaptation and sustainable
pro-poor development in Africa equally
responds to both the institutional character
and peculiar national climate change
agenda of each participating institution and
nation.
Thus, ACCAI-UNN while embodying the
excellent research and knowledge
transmission cultures of the University of
Nigeria also responds broadly to the
technical and capacity challenges of climate
change adaptation in the country. It is little
wonder that the focus of the programme is
on collaboration, network building,
sensitization and awareness creation
through interventions and outreach as well
as the building of the requisite technical and
social capacities demanded by climate
change adaptation at all levels. It would be
academic and tedious to make a case for the
threat of the environment to mankind which
seems to worsen as the days pass by. In
(HESP)
fact, it is no longer a scientific feat to
appreciate that the environment has been
changing for the worse and challenging both
man's knowledge base and capacity to adapt.
Back home, a few doubting Thomases were
given a rude awakening by the 2012 massive
flooding in many parts of Kogi State and
beyond caused by the surge of the River Niger
and excessive rain fall. Therefore, the
discourse on climate change has gone
beyond the esoteric past time of a few
knowledgeable scholars to become a sina
qua non for development in the new age.
Perhaps, the countless publications of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) and other fora organized by the same
body have helped in reshaping both public
consciousness and the response of
governments and multi-lateral development
agencies to challenges of the environment in
general.
Hence, this quarterly Newsletter contributes
in no small measure to the growing concern of
humanity with the problems of climate change
and environmental decay. It is common
knowledge amongst the educated public that
climate change does not just affect animals,
landscapes, trees and other non-human
entities but exerts a heavy toll on livelihood,
group survival, social security and peace.
The ACCAI-NEWS is tailored not only to
disseminate the activities of the ACCAI-UNN
but to equally raise the awareness of readers
to the real issues and challenges of climate
change adaptation in Nigeria and even
beyond. It is my hope that the quarterly
Newsletter performs the above functions and
in the best tradition of excellence of the
University shows the light and responds to the
yearning need for information and knowledge
on climate change. I cannot end this short
piece without once again saluting the OSF for
making both ACCAI-UNN and this quarterly
possible and the editorial team atACCAI-UNN
for a commendable job. Happy reading.
Professor B.C. Ozumba
Vice-Chancellor
03
t was a warm yet breezy day and an ACCAI
team made up of PIC members, course
lecturers and a good number of post graduateIstudents were on an excursion toAmucha, Njaba
LGA, Imo State. It was some sort of reality check
to the erosion ravaged community where in spite
of a good number of non-active erosion sites,
there were also a reasonable number of still
active erosion sites. But really amazing to the
team were the obvious threats from the massive
erosions; a largely nutrient bare soil which
makes farming no longer realistic; and the
pollution of the only stream in the community by
soil deposits and debris from the gully erosion.
As the people themselves recounted, quite a lot
of people have relocated in the last couple of
years and in one telling case, a family had to
relocate to the maternal home of the father. But in
spite of the daunting challenges of yearly
erosions; decreasing farm lands and scarcity of
water for domestic use, the people have dug in
and have even embarked on a number of
practices especially planting of bamboo trees and
reinforced concrete foundations in buildings to
battletheerosion.
The ACCAI team also came upon a similar
scenario of palpable fear and resignation to fate
in the Oyedega community in Ibaji in Kogi State,
a site of enormous yearly flooding since 2012.
However, unlike the Amucha community, the
people themselves have not evolved any
concerted effort at defence rather they have
psychologically prepped themselves for
movement. In fact, the team had to hurry up the
visit so that it could cross over before the road
becomes totally flooded. The team's fear was not
helped by the report of warning from the state
government of impending massive flood and the
need for quick evacuation of the members of the
community.
While the above narratives are not meant as the
report on the extensive excursion of the ACCAI
team to climate change impact sites, which is
covered elsewhere here. It is rather meant to
remind us all of the reality of climate change even
at the most basic levels i.e. in rural communities
and the lives of ordinary people. More critically
there is the need to tell the story of climate change
especially its impacts and what humanity is doing
or should do inrelationtoit.
Therefore, the newsletter is an information and
dissemination organ of the ACCAI-UNN. This is
the maiden edition of the newsletter and can be
seen as a bumper edition. Hence, it contains a lot
of information on the nature and structure of the
ACCAI-UNN and more critically summary
reports of the various activities carried out by the
ACCAI-UNN. Also, contained herein are the
messages and reflections of the VC of UNN and
the chair of the ACCAI-UNN PIC. While the
narratives are interesting on their own, there has
been the addition of pictures and illustrations to
spice-upthenewsletter.
The newsletter would not have been possible
without the commitment of the Editorial Team
and the larger ACCAI-UNN PIC members. We
have tried in spite of the short time frame to
achieve a quality publication that meets
international standards. The extent to which this
has been achieved is best left to the judgment of
the readers. But theACCAI Editorial Team hopes
thatyouenjoyreadingthisissue ofthenewsletter.
E CO
ON B ARD
W L ME
O
ial
Editor
Crops submerged in Oyedega, Ibaji, Kogi State

DIRECTOR’S
DESK
05
feel excited to welcome you to this
maiden edition of ACCAI-UNN
INewsletter. The Newsletter is a
critical component of ACCAI activities
and is envisaged to facilitate
communication of ACCAI-UNN
activities, information and general
events on climate change and related
issues to both stakeholders and the
general public. Therefore, the
Newsletter would be published
quarterly by ACCAI-UNN. Both the
Newsletter and the larger ACCAI
programme were made possible by the
sponsorship of the Open Society
Foundation (OSF) under its Higher
E d u c a t i o n S u p p o r t
Programme(HESP). While the ACCAI
initiative exists in other African
countries as a bold response of the OSF
to the daunting challenges of climate
change and environmental problems,
the UNN programme embodies the
basic character of the University and
responds broadly to the climate change
adaptation problems of Nigeria.
Without doubt, the challenge of climate
change looms very large in current
discourse and therefore ACCAI's
mandate of education, research and
intervention in climate change
adaptation in Nigeria and even beyond
seems obviously an imperative to
development. But while ACCAI-UNN
comes to terms with its mandate, it
requires a reflective and strategic
dissemination and communication
medium. This Newsletter fits the above
purpose and is very necessary in the
attempt to improve the visibility of
ACCAI-UNN and more crucially provide
reliable medium for engaging with
stakeholders both locally and
internationally.
Thus, it is my sincere belief that this
quarterly Newsletter is a major
contribution to the national and global
concerns with the problems of climate
change and environmental decay. These
problems are no longer strange to
Nigerians who have had to grapple with
these challenges in different forms and
their various ramifications. Hence, apart
from the well-publicized floods of 2012,
various communities in Nigeria deal with
often mind-boggling problems of erosion,
landslides, desertification, seasonal
flooding, oil pipeline leakages etc. with
their attendant negative and far-reaching
consequences on human lives and
development in general.
Beyond the basic objective of
disseminating the activities of ACCAI-
UNN, the Newsletter hopes to raise
awareness of the general public about
climate change and by so doing
continuously place it on the front-burner
of both public discourse and policy
options by the state and its agencies.
Therefore, as you read this Newsletter, I
hope that the above lofty aims would
have been met.
Prof. P.E Chigbu
Chairman, ACCAI-UNN PIC
t is with boundless joy that I welcome our
readers to this maiden edition of our ACCAI-
UNN Newsletter. It is a quarterly series aimedIat educating all and sundry especially our
university community on the issues of our
environment and particularly climate change- a
phenomenon that has come to stay. The aftermath
of climate change has caused devastating effects
to lives and properties in different countries of the
world including Nigeria.You can easily re-call the
new wave of flooding, drought, desert
encroachment and erosion in different parts of the
country in the most recent past! The Africa
Climate Change Adaptation Initiative at the
University of Nigeria (ACCAI-UNN) is a clarion
answer to the needed adaptation and mitigation
knowledge.
At ACCAI-UNN, the emphasis is on building
transdisciplinary capacity in research, teaching,
learning and outreach so as to play leading roles in
climate change adaptation in Nigeria and
Africa.The University of Nigeria is well
positioned to play this leading role with her
population of over 20,000 undergraduate and over
5,000 postgraduates students found in 15 faculties
and over 71 academic disciplines where 82
undergraduate programmes and 211 post graduate
programmes are domiciled. The University of
Nigeria is thereforeproperly positioned to
champion climate change adaptation strategies in
Nigeriaandbeyond.
The programme activity components are hinged
on threepillarsnamely
ØEducation
ØResearch
ØTraining/Outreach
06
The target audience for ACCAI-UNN programme
activities includes stakeholders from State and
National Ministries, Universities, Institutes,
Industries, Policy makers, Non-Governmental
Organizations (NGOs), Civil Society Organizations
(CSOs) andthegeneralpublic.
ACCAI-UNN is managed by a Programme
Implementation Committee (PIC) appointed by the
Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria. The
PIC is broad and inclusive in line with the trans-
disciplinarynatureof theinitiative.
The expected impactis that a strong foundation for
world-class teaching, research and outreach on
climate change adaptation will be built at the
UniversityofNigeria.
The ACCAI-UNN has made tremendous
Progress thus:
vThe establishment of a post graduate
programme (at PDG, M.Sc and PhD levels)
on Climate change Economics Policy and
Innovation (CCEPI). The programme has
been successfully accredited by the
National Universities Commission (NUC
of Nigeria) and is currently running in the
Universityof Nigeria.
vParticipating actively (with seven
Universities) on Transdisciplinary
Training for Resource Efficiency and
Climate Change Adaptation in Africa
(TRECCAI &TRECCAII).
vMounting of Trans-disciplinary research
workinggroups.
vTraining of faculties in UNN on intra-
disciplinary methodologies on climate
change
vWorking with civil society and private
sector organizations to promote adaptation
andcreateawareness
As you relax to get the full information and
benefits of ACCAI programme initiative from this
edition of our quarterly newsletter series, feel free
to contact and interact with us in our temporary
office located at the old University of Nigeria
library.
Thanks and happy reading.
Prof. (Mrs.) Anthonia Ifeyinwa Achike
Director, ACCAI-UNN.

Rationale / Justification of Existence:
Climate studies and modeling experiments
indicate that the anthropogenic ally- driven
rise in global temperatures and land –use
changes may adversely affect existing
climatic, hydrological and environmental
conditions. Africa is not only highly
vulnerable to environmental changes and
climate change, but is also the least prepared
continent to cope with the adverse situation.
Hence the need for adaptation and
adaptation strategies. Adaptation to climate
change cannot be addressed through a
single economic sector as it has impacts
across all aspects of social and economic
development. In addition, development
without consideration of the risks and
impacts of climate change sometimes
increase the vulnerability (maladaptation).
Based on the foregoing, The University of
Nigeria (UNN), in collaboration with African
Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS),
Kenya successfully wrote and is
implementing a proposal entitled Building
Trans-disciplinary Climate Change
Adaptation Capacity at the University of
N i g e r i a . T h e p r o j e c t i s b e i n g
supported/financed by Open Society
Foundation (OSF), USA under their Higher
Education Support Programme (HESP). Six
Universities are participating in the
programme with the broad theme –Africa
Climate Change Adaptation Initiative
(ACCAI). ACCAI coordinates this initiative
and provides an institutional base for
attracting more grants in the area of climate
change.
Broad Objectives:
The University will offer trans-disciplinary
programmes that will:
ØBuild the human capacity needed to
address climate change and adaptation
that meet African's unique needs
through University – based curricular for
conventional post graduate degrees (
PGD, M.Sc and PhD ) and short training
courses for a wide range of professionals
from all sectors;
ØEncourage and implement action
–oriented research activities, including
research into climate change adaptation
technologies, that will help to improve the
climate adaptation capacity of theAfrican
peoples;
ØProvide a Framework for national and
regional policy assessment and advice to
governments and public and private
sector actors;
ØInclude various communities within the
African region in its programme
execution and implementation of
research findings; and
ØProvide basis for adaptation of
international; best practices in climate
change issues and collaboration with
similar or related facilities across the
world.
Organizational /Operating Structure:
The activities of ACCAI-UNN are managed
by Programme Implementation Committee
(PIC) appointed by the Vice Chancellor. The
PIC is broad and inclusive in line with the
trans- disciplinary nature of the initiative.
Target Audience / Service to consumers
and stakeholders:
These include stakeholders from State and
National Ministries, Universities, Institutes,
Industries, Policy makers, NGOs, CSOs and
any candidate with the University admission
requirements.
Programme Activity Components
}Education
?Trans-disciplinary postgraduate
education in climate change economics,
innovations and policy
?Curriculum development and validation
?Development of knowledge resources
–source documents, dedicated library,
etc.
?Infrastructure and facilities –GIS,
Interactive Collaborative Environment
(ICE)
?Collaboration -TRECCA
Research
?Trans-disciplinary research and studies
to accumulate knowledge on climate
change adaptation, in support of
education, training and outreach
?Collaboration with Murdoch University,
Australia
Outreach and Training
?Working with communities and civil
groups to promote
climate change
adaptation capabilities
through knowledge
assimilation
?Working with
policymakers and policy
communities to make
education and research
more relevant and
effective
?Climate Change Clubs
within the University
Expected
Output/Outcomes
?Critical mass of University
faculty trained in trans-disciplinary
approaches to CCA teaching, research
and learning in Africa
?Contribute to the African agenda on
climate change informed by knowledge
from all knowledge communities
?Trans-disciplinary CCA programs
effectively running inAfrican Universities
ACCAI-Participating Universities
They are:
?Salaam University Tanzania
?The University of Ghana
?The Univeristy of Mekelle, Ehtiopia
?The University of Nairobi, Kenya
?The University of Nigeria
Expected Impacts
?Through ACCAI, it is foreseen that a
strong foundation for world-class
teaching, research and outreach on
climate change adaptation will have
been built at the University.
Progress Achieved so far
Education
?Post graduate courses now commencing
Research
?Trans-disciplinary research working
group established and running training
?Training of faculty in trans-disciplinary
methodologies
Outreach
?Working with civil societies and private
sector to promote adaptation awareness
and behaviours
Areas of possible collaboration with
other Universities and Research Centres
?Joint research programmes
?Staff exchange and information sharing
Overview of
000807

10
he purpose of this article is to provide an
over view of the key issues pertinent to the
Tunderstanding of the climate change
phenomenon and the consequent impacts and
responses with particular reference to Nigeria.
This is necessary in order to equip Nigeria public
with the basic and informed knowledge that will
enable them take appropriate actions towards
reducing climate change impacts. Moreover, a
basic understanding of climate change is
essential to every person in the contemporary
times for a number of reasons including the fact
that it is the most serious environmental
challenge facing the world in the present century
and that the impacts cut across all sectors of the
economy and society. In particular, the effects of
climate change on poor countries like Nigeria are
of great concern because of very limited
capacities (both in terms of resources and
expertise) to cope with it.
Against this background, the definition and basic
understanding of climate change becomes
necessary. Although it is a common knowledge
that the world's climate has always been
changing between hotter and cooler periods due
to various factors, recent evidence and
predictions indicate that climate change is
accelerating and will lead to wide-ranging shifts
in climate variables. Authoritatively, the Fourth
Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007 found
that the warming of the climate system was
“unequivocal and that a number of attendant
effects were already observable.”
Climate change was defined by IPCC in 2001 as
any change in climate over time, whether due to
natural variability or as a result of human activity
.Later in 2007 it re-defined Climate change as a
change in the state of the climate that can be
identified (e.g., by using statistical tests) by
changes in the mean and /or the variability of its
properties, and that persists for an extended
period typically decades or longer. Some other
authorities have simply defined climate change
as increase in temperatures and changes in
weather patterns created by carbon and other
greenhouse gas emissions.
As earlier observed, climate change is generally
agreed to be among the most pressing
challenges that the world faces today. Given the
current atmospheric concentrations of
greenhouse gases (GHGs), the world is already
committed to a significant war. The updated
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Emissions Gap Report, released at the Climate
Convention Conference in Doha in December
2012, found that the present emission trends are
consistent with emission pathways that reach
warming in the range of 3.5°C to 5°C by 2100 This
is a serious challenge, given the wide range of
expected climate change impacts on natural
systems, as well as on human societies.
The severity of the impacts will vary depending in
part on the outcomes of global efforts to mitigate
climate change and on the other hand the
adaptive capacities of a countries or
Humans are the major inducers and sufferers of
climate change. In fact the concentration of
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere resulting
largely from human activities including burning of
fossil fuels and deforestation, have led to the
observed and projected warming of the earth,
known as the enhanced greenhouse effect.The
gases that contribute directly to the enhanced
greenhouse effect as a result of anthropogenic
activities are carbon dioxide (CO ),2
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), methane (CH ) and4
nitrous oxide (N O) emitted from combustion of2
fossil fuels, deforestation and agriculture and
sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and perfluorocarbons
arising from industrial processes. Other gases,
including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and
volatile organic compounds, contribute indirectly
to global warming through chemical reactions in
the atmosphere.
.
By Prof Ignatius A. Madu
Dean, Faculty of the Social Sciences
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
ignatius.madu@unn.edu.ng
0009
?Building climate change knowledge
community for Nigeria
?Joint policy and outreach activities
Ancillary Programme under ACCAI:
The six ACCAI Universities under the
ACCAI programme are also participating in
a European Union sponsored mobility
programme entitled Trans-disciplinary
Training for Resource Efficiency and
Climate Change Adaptation in Africa
(TRECCA).
• These Universities applied and
received another grant from the
European Union underACP-EU mobility
programme
• The grant allows Postgraduate students
and staff to benefit from an exchange
programme
• Training will be provided within the
participating Universities
Progress so far with TRECCA
Three University of Nigeria students are
currently in doing their PhD and M.Sc.
programmes in Stellenbosch, South Africa
and Mekelle, Ethiopia pursuing their
respective PhD and MSc program. Three
University of Nigeria PhD students have
been admitted in Uniersities of Ghana,
Nairobi anf Ethiopia to complete their PhD
researches. Also eight students from
different Universities in Africa are currently
in UNN pursuing their PhD and M.Sc.
programmes under full TRECCA
scholarship.
Prof. A. I. Achike,
Director, ACCAI-UNN
ACCAI Team getting an on the site feel of adverse weather events

11
communities. However, developing countries
and poor populations everywhere remain the
most vulnerable to the impacts of climate
change.
Generally, the manifestations of climate change
will include extreme weather events in many
parts of the world with the following attendant
impacts:
(i) Higher frequency of formation of cyclonic
storms;
(ii) Higher intensity rainfall along with
changing precipitation patterns;
(iii) Prolonged droughts;
(iv) Hurricanes along with related landslides
and wildfires
(v) Sea level rise which mean that low lying
areas of the earth are potentially most
vulnerable;
(vi) Decreased water availability and
increasing drought in mid-latitudes and
semi-arid low latitudes;
(vii) Decreased cereal productivity at low
latitudes;
(viii) Risk of extinction of some plant and animal
species;
(ix) Increased warm spells, heat waves and
heavy precipitation events; and
(x) Increased morbidity and mortality from
changing weather patterns, changed
disease vector distributions, and
malnutrition.
Some of the specific sectoral impacts on a
global level are discussed as follows:
Frequent environmental disasters: Rising
average temperatures are already affecting the
environment and some of the observed
The main reason why developing
countries are likely to be more severely affected
according to a World Bank report in 2010 is that
they have greater social and economic
vulnerability to climate change. This is because
greater proportion of the population has
livelihoods that depend on climate-sensitive
economic production, such as rain-fed
agriculture. Also, developing countries have a
lower capacity to adapt to changing climate
conditions and do face greater barriers, due, for
example, to lack of information, relevant skills,
and political will and resource constraints as well
as weaker institutions.
changes include shrinking of glaciers, thawing of
permafrost, later freezing and earlier break-up of
ice on rivers and lakes .Climate change induced
disasters such as drought, floods severe
weather and sea-level rise and wild fire are likely
to increase in intensity and frequency with the
consequent increases in vector-borne diseases,
infrastructure damage, the degradation of natural
resources upon which livelihoods are based, food
insecurity as well as loss of life and property.
Declining agricultural productivity: The effect
of climate change on agriculture is complex due
to a number of interplaying factors: However,
while higher Carbon-dioxide levels and solar
radiation theoretically can increase food
production, heat stress, shorter growing seasons
and higher evapo-transpiration resulting in soil
moisture levels being lowered counteract the
former influences leading to overall lower
production of most foodstuffs. The reductions in
crop yields may lead to falling agricultural
production and higher prices for food, which could
trigger regional food crises.
Insecurity and conflicts: Climate change poses
a threat to the security situation in a country
through increasing water scarcity; decreasing
food security; increasing climate-induced
migration; and the increase of poverty.As a result,
climate change is now a top agenda item for the
global security community. In particular, rainfall
has a surprising influence on the prevalence of
social conflict .For instance; the new Social
Conflict in Africa Database reveals that in recent
decades, conflict events have been more
common in extremely wet and dry years than in
years of normal rainfall. Consequently, climate
change—by redrawing the maps of water
availability, food security, and disease
prevalence, and poverty could increase forced
migration, raise tensions and trigger conflicts.
Health: Climate change is also expected to have
a wide-ranging consequence for human health.
This is because the health of communities
depends on sufficient food, safe drinking water,
comfortable homes, good social conditions, and a
suitable environmental and social setting for
controlling infectious diseases. All of these
factors can be affected by climate. It is expected
that climate change will affect the health status of
millions of people, particularly those with low
adaptive capacity (i.e. already poor and
vulnerable), through increases in malnutrition,
with implications for child growth and
development; increased deaths, disease and
injury due to heat waves, floods, storms, fires
and droughts; and the increased burden of
diarrhoeal disease. The increased frequency of
cardio-respiratory diseases due to higher
concentrations of ground level ozone related to
climate change and, the altered spatial
distribution of some infectious disease vectors
such as mosquitoes will also impact upon health
of communities.
The impacts of climate change manifests in
various forms in Nigeria as evidenced from
the following discussion.
Increase in climate change- induced
environmental hazards: Persistent droughts
and flooding, off season rains and dry spells
have become common phenomena today in
Nigeria. For instance, in south eastern states,
the impacts include heat stress, absence of
Harmattan, unpredictable rainfall patterns,
heavier rains, gully erosion, flooding and
landslides. In addition to other factors, these
hazards have affected soil fertility, water and
forest resources, transport and settlement
infrastructure and farmlands (Plates 1 and 2)
Plate 1: Loss of vegetation and Biodiversity
due to gully erosion in Southern Nigeria
Plate 2: Destruction of road transport
infrastructure in Southeastern Nigeria
Generally, floods have become a common
feature of many localities in the country in recent
time. The memories of Sokoto, Lagos, Ogun and
Jigawa flood disasters in 2010 and 2011 are still
fresh in our minds .The Floods of Sokoto in 2010
for instance ravaged over 20 villages across six
local governments of Sokoto State rendering over
8,000 people homeless (plates 2 and 3).
Farmlands were also washed away and this
resulted in sever scarcity of onions in the country.
Plate 3: The impact of 2010 Sokoto flood
Plate4:Scene of Flooding in Lagos 2011
12
Highway washed away after a heavy rainfall

13
Decline in Agriculture and food security:
Climate Change phenomenon affects
agriculture in Nigeria in a number of ways. First is
that uncertainties in the onset of the farming
season, due to changes in rainfall characteristics
(early rains may not be sustained, and crops
planted at their instance may become smothered
by heat waves) can lead to an unusual sequence
of crop planting and replanting which may result
in food shortages due to harvest failure. Second,
extreme weather events such as thunderstorms,
heavy winds, and floods, devastate farmlands
and can lead to crop failure. Third, pests and
diseases migrate in response to Climate
Changes and variations (e.g. the tsetse fly has
extended its range northward) and this poses a
threat to livestock in the drier northern areas.
Fourth, in some northern states like Yobe and
Borno, migrating sand dunes have buried large
expanse of arable lands, thus reducing viable
agricultural lands and crops' production. Fifth,
evidence shows, that due to climate change, and
as a means of adaptation, farmers in northern
Nigeria have continued to shift in the production
of crops from millet to maize and beans as
against the initial change from guinea corn to
groundnut and maize.
Impact on water resources: The impact of
climate change on water resources in Nigeria is
overwhelming. Climate change has brought
about changes in rainfall patterns, variability in
rainfall, frequency of storms and drought and
changes in the water level/volume of ponds,
lakes, rivers and streams. A number of
associated impacts on water bodies in different
ecological zones of Nigeria include:(1) Drying up
of water sources due to increased evapo-
transpiration, and loss of vegetation in head
waters. Many rivers have been reported to have
dried up or are becoming more seasonally
navigable while Lake Chad
United Nations
(2)
Inundation of low-lying lands(3) Beach erosion
and coastal flooding due to higher waves
generated by onshore storm winds,and (4)
receding of mangroves adjoining estuaries due
to wave incursion and beach breaching.
according to the
Global Resource Information Database of the
Environment Programme,
shrank as much as 95% from about 1963 to
1998, although the 2007 (satellite) image shows
significant improvement over previous years.
Alteration of the ecology of disease vectors:
Pests and diseases are implicated in climate
change. Significant climatic elements such as
temperature, precipitation, sunshine and wind
can affect and accelerate their dispersion and
their increase. Pests and diseases can
adversely affect crop production and animal
husbandry; it also causes human suffering (for
example, malaria, cholera, typhoid and,
meningitis) which in turn affects the
effectiveness and productivity of Nigeria's labour
force. These diseases attack more people
during the dry season because of dust, wind and
cold nights. Also heat rashes are noticed
amongst the populace in the country within the
period of intense heat. Moreover, deficiencies in
freshwater availability due to climate change will
worsen the already poor sanitary and health
conditions in the country. This will increase
epidemics of water-borne diseases such as
cholera, hepatitis, typhoid and malaria.
Conflict over land resources: Climate change
poses a security threat to Nigeria through conflict
over resources. Presently, increasing water
scarcity; decreasing food security; increasing
climate-induced migration; and poverty are
being experienced in many parts of the country.
The overall effect is that climate change will fuel
existing conflicts over depleting resources. .For
instance, struggles over grazing land is a
common feature between the Fulani cattle
herdsmen and crop farmers in Nigeria. In fact,
conflicts between crop farmers and the cattle
herdsmen are claiming lives and properties in
many parts of the country, especially, in the
northern parts. In Benue state for example, the
Tivs have had a number of violent conflicts which
involved fighting and blood-letting between them
and Fulani nomads over grazing lands.
Population displacement/environmentally
induced migration: In the southern part of the
country, sea incursion due to sea-level rise
means salt-water intrusion into the fresh water,
invasion and destruction of mangrove
ecosystems, coastal wetlands and coastal
beaches. The coastal inundation and erosion
with their associated population displacement
are currently major environmental problems in
Nembe, Eket and other coastal settlements in
Bayelsa, Delta, Cross River, Rivers and Lagos
States.In the north, prolonged drought and
desert encroachments are responsible for the
displacement .The threats of desert
encroachment manifested by sand dunes are
now common features of desertification in states
like Yobe, Borno, Sokoto, Jigawa and Katsina,
prompting massive emigration and resettlement
of people to areas less threatened by
desertification.
There are many lessons from the climate change
related threats in Nigeria, including that
policymakers must pay greater attention to the
changing weather in the country and that
extreme weather events are not isolated and
one-off events but part of a pattern – that requires
integrated approach to tackle. Both adaptation
and mitigation are critical and requires
integrating them into the development strategies.
Adaptation which refers to all the responses to
climatic conditions that reduce vulnerability is
only one part of the solution. In the same way
mitigation of climate change by limiting
greenhouse gas concentrations in the
atmosphere is just one of the indispensable other
part of the equation for solving the crisis.
Therefore, mitigation and adaptation should not
be approached as separate activities, isolated
from other environmental and socioeconomic
concerns that also impact on the development
opportunities of the poor. A comprehensive
approach is needed that takes into account
potential synergistic and antagonistic effects
between local and global environmental changes
as well as socioeconomic factors.
Responses to Climate Change in Nigeria
The Department of Climate Change - Federal
Ministry of Environment in a recent release
observed that Climate Change has become a
critical issue, both for its global importance and
threats to Nigeria and her people and that
Nigeria can't but continue to implement both the
Climate Change Convention related Kyoto
Protocol and the local efforts and initiatives at
combating the threats of Climate Change and
warnings of global warming. Some of the local
efforts are listed as follows:
● Establishment of the Special Climate
Change Unit (SCCU) at the Federal
Ministry of Environment charged with
coordination of activities towards
national implementation of the Climate
Change Convention and the Kyoto
Protocol. The Ministry carries out its
activities through the Unit by working in
collaboration with other relevant
government organizations, non-
governmental organizations, academia
and private sector under a Committee
known as Inter-ministerial Committee on
Climate Change (ICCC). ICCC forms a
policy advisory organ for government
under the Chairmanship of the Federal
Minister of Environment.
● In 2010, the National Assembly passed a
bill to create a national Climate Change
Commission, in order to facilitate
coordination and support for the multi -
level and cross – sectoral adaptation
responses. In addition, several other
government agencies are involved in
climate change adaptation issues,
including for instance the Nigerian
Meteorological Agency (NIMET), the
National Emergency Management
Authority (NEMA) and the National
Planning Commission (NPC).
● The Federal Executive Council (FEC) in
2012 approved the adoption of the
National Policy on Climate Change and
Response Strategy (NPCC-RS), as a
National Document for implementing
climate activities in the country.
According to the FEC which is the
highest decision making body, the
approval is to provide the government
with a framework for tackling
environmental challenges occasioned
by global changes in the climate.
● The Federal Government's current
economic growth plan, Nigeria Vision
20:2020: Economic Transformation
Blueprint, recognizes a changing climate
as a threat to sustainable growth in the
next decade. The implementation
s t r a t e g y i n N i g e r i a V i s i o n
20:2020 includes“[reducing] the impact
of climate change on socio-economic
development processes” as one of nine
o b j e c t i v e s f o r c o n s e r v i n g t h e
environment in Nigeria and recognizes
the need to address climatic change in a
14

16
ransdisciplinarity occurs at a
higher stage succeeding the
Tstage of interdisciplinarity,
which would not only cover
interactions between specialised
research projects, but would place
these relationships within a total
system without any firm boundaries
between disciplines … our sciences
are still incomplete … physics will
become really 'general' only after it
has encompassed biology and even
psychology … if this were possible we
s h o u l d t h e n b e i n f u l l
transdisciplinarity (John van Breda,
2014)
The TD Winter School took place at
the Sustainability Institute (SI) located
in Lynedoch in the outskirts of
Stellenbosch in the wine rich Cape
Province of South Africa. The SI going
by its location in a pristine vegetative
area and in a green zone was an
appropriate venue for the five day
interaction (7th – 11th July 2014) on
the environment, food system and
trans-disciplinary research in Africa.
The SI from its green environment to
the wooden artistic antique benches
and tables in the reception area to the
vegetarian and healthy snacks and
food served was a wake-up call of sorts
to the participants in the Winter School.
The Participants in the School were
drawn from a number of African
countries including Kenya, Ethiopia,
Malawi, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania,
South Africa Nigeria. The school
itself was organized in an informal and
highly interactive manner which
enabled exhaustive deliberations,
lessons sharing and learning from
each other. It featured modules ranging
f r o m p r a c t i c a l c o m m u n i t y
engagements; quantitative social
sciences research methods to
i n t e g r a t e d i n d i g e n o u s T D R
methodology.
From me as a participant, the high point
of the four day programme was the
introduction of the participants to
indigenous methodologies in the social
sciences. The presenter and one of the
leading exponents of indigenous
research methods, Bagele Chilisa of
the University of Botswana gave a
passionate lecture on the theme
drawing largely from her latest text on
the subject, “Indigenous Research
Methodologies” published by Sage
(2012). As I discovered during
subsequent interactions with other
participants, her presentation drew
quite a robust reaction from the
participants and called attention to the
fact that local problems and issues are
often best understood from local
perspectives and mutual engagement.
and
15
policy responsive and strategic way. It
t h e r e f o r e , p u t s i n p l a c e a
Climate Change Policy and Response
Strategy with the strategic goal of
fostering a low-carbon, high growth
economic development path and building
a climate resilient society. The Policy
includes objectives related to climate
change mitigation, adaptation, climate
science and technology, public
awareness, private sector participation,
and strengthening national institutions
and mechanisms.
● Nigeria has also set up a Strategic
Framework for Voluntary Nationally
Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) so
as to meet the national obligations under
the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change.
● The Federal Ministry of Environment is
organizing a National Sensitization and
Public Awareness Programme, which is
aimed at partnering with schools, the
NYSC, the organized private sector and
other stakeholders in raising the
a w a r e n e s s o f N i g e r i a n s o n
environmental issues in general and
climate change in particular.
● The Federal Ministry of Environment is
ensuring that all Developmental projects
under go Environmental Impact
assessments.
● Massive afforestation programmes,
especially the Great Green Wall across
the desertification front line States in
Northern Nigeria are being carried out.
Conclusion
Climate change is real and the change has wide-
ranging effects on the environment, and on
socio-economic and related sectors. Despite
the wide spread impacts of climate change and
its prominence in global environmental
discourse, many Nigerians know little about the
phenomenon. Therefore, promoting an
understanding of impacts of climate change,
through a forum like this is a necessary step in
the right direction.
A Broadview of the Nanka Erosion Site

17
Equally thought-provoking and
insightful was the presentation on
trans-disciplinary research led by
John van Breda. While a number of
the participants were not new to the
notion of trans-disciplinarity, the
process of its usage in action and real
time research was still strange. The
presentation showed TDR as going
beyond the esoteric norm of research
engagement that often builds an
unbridgeable chasm between the all-
knowing researcher and the research
subjects and community right from the
conception of the research problem to
its eventual consummation. It argues
for an action oriented research that
has the potential to radically and
positively change things and the
researcher as more often than not an
advocate for change and with a
passion to work in partnership with the
community at every stage in the bid to
enthrone a better order.
The School also provided opportunity
for sharing of lessons learnt from
projects in the various countries
present and the final session was
dedicated to the conceptualization of
likely fundable research projects on
the food system in Africa. For this
purpose, the participants were split
into groups and each group was
tasked to come up with a research
project and outlines of the research
problem.
The participants were also offered the
opportunity to see TDR in action
through a trip to the Enkanini
Community, a highly populated black
shanty town in Stellenbosch. The SI
has been involved in the process of
improving the community through
providing solar energy electricity;
sanitation especially the toilet system;
building community bonds as well as
acting as advocate in terms of getting
the government to recognize the
community and extend social services
and amenities to it. Interestingly the
projects in the community also serve
as test-grounds and research
locations for graduate students in the
Stellenbosch University attached to SI
and using TDR methodology in their
research work. All the above occurs
through a commensal partnership and
collaboration between the SI and the
community.
John van Breda acted as the main
anchor and liaison for the Winter
School and did a very good job. Mark
Swilling was also always on hand to
provide good insights and share
experiences from his vast involvement
with TDR. The School was rounded off
with a farewell dinner party and a half-
day trip to Cape Town for shopping
and sight-seeing by participants. The
School was organized/facilitated by
Eve Annecke, Bagele Chilisa,
Josephine Musango, Maggie Opondo,
Rika Preiser, Mark Swilling and John
van Breda and they all did a
commendable job. The participation in
the School was a very valuable and
stimulating experience for me and I am
sure the other participants feel the
same way too.
- Edlyne Anugwom
18
n line with the OSF - approved ACCAI-
UNN work plan, excursions to major
Iclimate change impact sites were
conducted. The objective of the excursions
was to enhance opportunities for involving
local communities in influencing course
content, teaching, learning and research in
the University of Nigeria, and providing a
potential model for co-production of
knowledge in the field of climate change
adaptation in Africa. The ACCAI excursion
team visited 10 communities with major
impacts of climate change and
investigatedor documented impacts of
climate change in these communities. In
addition the team sought to document
existing indigenous adaptation practices to
impact of climate change in these
communities.
T h e t e n
communities
with major
impacts of
c l i m a t e o f
change were
selected from
three states -
I m o ,
Anambra and
Kogi. These
were four oil
p r o d u c i n g
communities
in Imo State
(Oguta Local
Government
Area) that have been the center of
international controversy over devastating
pollution, ecocides and human rights
violation from oil exploration viz.Oguta 1,
Umunwama Izombe, Ezi- Orsu and Afiafor;
two erosion devastated communities,
Amucha and Okwudor communities (Njaba
Local Government Area); two erosion and
landslide communities in Orumba North,
Anambra state viz., Nanka and Oko
communities; two flood disaster
communities, Onyedega and Ogaene in Ibaji
Local Government Area of Kogi state.
These communities were visited and studied
in two phases. During the first phase, which
th th
took place from 24 - 27 September 2014,
four oil producing communities and two
erosion communities were visited in Imo
State were visited; and in the second
th th
phase, which took place from the 7 – 10 of
October 2014, two erosion and landslide
communities (in Anambra state) and the
flood disaster communities (in Kogi state)
were visited. The excursion team utilized
questionnaires, interviews and field
observation in ascertaining the extent and
implications of climate impact events in
these communities.
T h e
studycum
excursion
discovere
d t h a t
some of
t h e s e
communiti
es had
n o t i c e d
changes in
climate but
failed to
i d e n t i f y
t h e i r
c a u s e s .
F o r
example,
d e s p i t e
observing the increase in temperature and
shortening of the rainy season over the past
four decades, the Amucha men and women
attributed the origin of the erosion to the myth
that it was caused by the killing of the Royal
Python (Eke ) of the Njaba River; while
others attributed the environmental
degradation to the indiscriminate
construction of houses along the flood
pathway. The respondents did not accept
that they had contributed to the
environmental degradation. The study also
revealed that in Amucha, Okwudor, Nanka
and Oko, outside erosion and flood,
EXCURSION REPORT
Dr. Mrs Julie Agwu

19
deforestation and excessive heat, the
streams were drying and flood created
more breeding sites for mosquitoes, thus
malaria and water related diseases , such
as typhoid, cholera were on the increase.
Extinction of some plants such as a special
species of yam called“JiIgwe” was
reported. In the oil producing communities,
the impact of climate change is basically
the same as those encountered in the non-
oil producing communities, except that the
excessive heat was higher in oil producing
communities and this was the major impact
of climate change followed by flooding.
However, the streams did not dry up, but
were polluted by flood water polluted by oil
spills from manifolds. Some other impacts
include:
LAND: less fertile land, reduction in
availability of arable and habitable land;
WATER: less available and undrinkable
T h e AT M O S P H E R E : i n c r e a s e d
temperature, irregular rainfall pattern,
V E G E TAT I O N : r e d u c t i o n a n d
disappearance of some species of plants
and animals.
The socioeconomic consequence of
climate change through the gender
lensesreveals some gender specific
vulnerability in food sector energy sector,
and water sector. Some indigenous
adaptive measures such as raising
homesteads in flood prone communities,
digging catchment pits and constructing
embankment, planting cashew and India
b a m b o o i n e r o s i o n d e v a s t a t e d
communities. It was also observed that in
the flood prone communities there is the
emerging practice of cultivating the
swimming rice which can survive and do
well in spite of the flood. Some of the
challenges identified amongst the farmers
include the dearth of improved crop
varieties to withstand the devastated
environment, decreasing land quality, need
for bioremediation of devastated
communities in oil producing communities,
need for clean drinking water and
alternatives to clean energy for the rural
women.
Engaging with Community members during ACCAI excursion
Venue:RockviewHotelAbuja
AnchorPerson:Prof. EricEboh
Introduction/Context
Evidence shows that economic sectors, such as agriculture, fisheries and tourism, have been particularly
vulnerable to climate variability. The climate impacts prognosis for Africa is rather grim. It is projected, for
st
example, that by the middle of the 21 century, parts ofAfrica might experience reduced agricultural production
by about 8.5% compared to current levels. Combined with the pressures of population growth, reduced
agricultural production would significantly diminish calories availability per capita. In fact, according to the
st
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), by the end of the 21 century, crop production could
decrease by up to 90% in some countries, leading to severe food security threats in urban areas. The effect will
also reflect negatively on industrial productivity, water and energy infrastructures, resource competitions and
resource-use conflicts and intra-country and regional migration patterns. Furthermore, it is widely predicted that
climate change impacts will undermine efforts to eradicate poverty and may in fact increase the percentage of
populationlivingbelowpovertyline.
Much of these potentially devastating effects can be lessened through regional and country-level adaptation
strategies. But, there is currently acute shortage of responsive human resource capacities as well as institutional
capabilitiesforachievingmulti-sectorialandsustainableadaptation.
Even though the university system stands out as a potentially critical agent for building the needed human skills
and capacities for meeting the climate change adaptation challenge, few universities inAfrica have dedicated fit-
for-purpose climate change-related educational programmes. In spite of the wide acknowledgement that climate
change impacts and climate change adaptation are best approached from transdisciplinary perspectives, there is
still very low incidence of the use of best-fit trans-disciplinary model of climate change education and research
intheuniversities.
The LogicofCurriculumReviewand SensitizationWorkshop
The rationale for the external review of the curriculum were to: (i) make the curriculum comply with highest
global professional standards in graduate education in climate change economics, policy and innovation (ii)
ensure the curriculum responds to and addresses the strategic knowledge needs for Nigeria and SSAcountries to
enhance human resources for climate change adaptation and (iii) make the curriculum a role model for wider
postgraduateeducationinclimatechangeeconomics,policyandinnovation
The key questions that guided the review were (i) are the stated 'objectives' of the curriculum consistent with the
goal of building capacity for climate change adaptation in developing countries? (ii) are the 'stress areas'
appropriate in terms of mix and reach or scope? If not, what should be the appropriate mix and scope? (iii) are the
indicatedemploymentopportunitiesconsistentwiththeobjectivesandcontentofthecurriculum?
The essence of the workshop was to give the postgraduate courses a strong national and international validity
and thereby earn credibility, visibility and patronage from stakeholders in the national and international
communities. The workshop participants were therefore mixed, in a deliberately inclusive manner (academics,
researchers,developmentpractitioners,technocratsandgovernmentpolicyofficials).
Besides widening and wrapping up the scientific review of the curriculum, the workshop also went a long way in
enlightening and sensitizing the 'market', that is, the prospective beneficiaries of the postgraduate courses.
Beyond the initial seed funding being provided by Open Society Foundations Higher Education Support
Programs for the postgraduate courses, the sustainability of the courses depend to a large extent on continuous
patronage and demand from the relevant organizations, groups and persons. It is therefore crucial to cultivate
understanding,getbuy-ins andensureownership fromthedemandsideattheinitialstageofthecourses.
TechnicalSession: Deliberationsand Recommendations
During the technical sessions discussions centred on the three programmes: Postgraduate Diploma, the Master's
Degree and Doctor of Philosophy. After much deliberation, the participants made the following
suggestions:
i. ThatAgriculture,WaterResourcesandBiodiversityshould beaggregatedasonestress area;
ii. There was the need to separate “Philosophy” from EPI 0501 in the PGD Programme so that they should
CURRICULUM REVIEW WORKSHOP
Date: 12 February, 2014
20

be two separate courses, namely: “Philosophy of Climate Change and Methodology of Climate
Change Economics,” “Innovation and Policy.” This suggestion should also apply to EP1 501 for the
MastersProgramme;
iii. That in the PGD programme there should be a new course to be known as “Basic Science of Climate
Change”
iv. That there should be a separate course for the Masters programme to be known as “Science of Climate
Change.” In this regard, suggestions were made that EPI 503 should be renamed: “Introduction to
ScienceofClimateChange;”
v. Systematicsequencing should beimplemented;
vi. That there should be the need to add new courses that will cover such areas as “Non Renewable Energy
Resources”and“ElementsofRisk Management;”
vii. That EPI 0531 and EPI 0561 in the PGD programme be merged and re-entitled “Climate Change
AdaptationtoSectors;”
viii. That EPI 0552: Climate Change, Engineering and Development be moved from its present position as
anelectivecoursetoacorecourse;
ix. That EPI 557I:WRM and Climate ChangeAdaptation – (3 Units) course content should be as follows:
Concepts and Techniques of Integrated Water Resources Management – IWRM. Climate Change
impacts on the hydrological cycle, water resources, weather variability and environmental
conditions. Adaptation options and alternatives in IWRM tool kit. Climate change and weather
variability as forces for predicting impacts and selection of best coping strategies and practices and
optimizationofcatchmentbasinmanagement;
x. To accommodate the new courses it was further suggested that the Credit loads for each course should
bereducedto2;
xi. That there should be an identification of potential areas where the programmes on Climate Change
Economics, Innovation and Policy should be seen as amenable to business. The reasons for this
according to the participants hinge on not only making the programmes to be functional but also that
theproductsoftheprogrammesshould beabletoadapttothechangingtimes.
xii. Flowing from the above suggestions, it was further suggested that a new course to be known as
“Entrepreneurship and Climate Change Adaptation” which should equip the graduates of the
programmewithpracticalskills;should beestablished.
xiii. However, emphasis at the PGD level should be to prepare students theoretically and quantitatively for
higherdegreeandremedialsteps.
xiv. In the final analysis internship was suggested under which the students would be meant to leave the
University environment for a period in the programme to have a real live experience in their areas of
specialty.
i. It was reasoned that there is need to keep the focus of the course on – climate change economics, policy
and innovation, and to be mindful of the fact that the programme is primarily aimed at promoting
climatechangeadaptation.
ii. There was expression of interest in sponsoring candidates to the courses. A number of agencies
indicated willingness to send their officials as candidates, but advised thatACCAI UNN should make
formalrequests.
iii. It was agreed thatACCAI UNN should explore collaboration with other universities and institutions in
ordertobuildlinkagesandachievemaximumimpacts.
iv. The house adopted all the suggestions made at the technical sessions except item (xiv) on internship
because it was unanimously agreed upon would be difficult to implement based on the durations of the
programme.
v. It was advised that ACCAI UNN should explore the possibility of sourcing the faculty from relevant
practice sectors such as government ministries and departments, in order to tap their expertise from
fieldexperiences.
The above suggestions and decisions which emanated from the participants (covering all spheres – parastatals,
government agencies, ministries, CSOs, practitioners and academic) have since been incorporated into the
currentcurriculumoftheCCEPI programmeattheUniversityofNigeriaNsukka.
21
Venue: University of Nigeria Hall of Fame
Programme Co-ordinator: Prof. Eric Eboh
Resource Persons: Prof. E. Eboh and Prof. MrsA.Achike
Lead Paper Presenters: Prof. Kevin Urama and Mr. EwahEleri
Theme: Optimizing Research and Research Impact for Climate Change
Adaptation inAfrica.
Introduction/Process:
The symposium was declared open by Prof Eric Eboh, a Professor of Economics and a
member of the ACCAI-UNN Programme Implementation Committee (PIC). The
Chairman of the occasion was the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. P.E. Chigbu.
In her welcome address the Director, ACCAI-UNN, Prof. Mrs. Achike stated that one of
the major objectives of ACCAI-UNN was to build a trans-disciplinary climate change
adaptation capacity at the university of Nigeria, while addressing the significant capacity
and knowledge gaps in Africa on climate change adaptation in the context of global
sustainability. In an overview of the symposium, Prof. Eric Eboh informed the attendees
that the symposium was intended to expose lecturers and students of climate change
economics, policy and innovation to cutting –edge research agenda and research
methodology, best practices and thereby enhance their skills, capacities and orientation
for greater research and teaching impacts.
Lead Papers:
Two lead papers were presented as follows:
1. Research for Climate Change Adaptation in Africa: Agendas, Methodologies and
Emerging Challenges – Prof. Kevin Urama (OSFACCAI Reference Group Member)
2, Enhancing Research Influence on Policy for Climate Change adaptation in Africa- Mr.
Ewah Eleri (Executive Director, ICEED).
Resolutions:
After the lead paper presentations and exhaustive deliberations, the assembly resolved
as follows:
1. Universities should take the lead in building the needed capacity to address the issue
of climate change by embarking on education relevant to the changing times;
2. Inter and trans- disciplinary collaboration are veritable tools for the success of climate
change adaptation and mitigation practices;
3. The gap between knowledge and practice should be narrowed to enhance success in
climate change adaptation;
4. There is need for fundamental primary research focusing on what is relevant and
being demanded to address climate change issues and making same available to
policy makers for formulation of policies that will adequately address the issue of
climate change adaptation as policy is poorer without research;
5. There is need to develop our home grown technology that is well adapted to our
environment instead of depending on foreign technology and practices and
6. Inclusion and implementation of climate change initiatives into our educational
system(the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions) is necessary to build up
knowledge required for climate change adaptation.
22

Time: 5:00pm
Venue: Dream FM, RidgewayAvenue, off OkparaAvenue, Enugu
Resource Persons: Prof.AnthoniaAchike
Prof. Constantine Mbarjiogu
Prof. Michael Uguru
Introduction/Purpose:
This activity was motivated by the been to create awareness of the activities of ACCAI-
UNN programmes and climate change as a current reality in the Nigerian environment.A
media engagement was seen as invaluable in reaching out to a large, diverse and broad-
base population within the Southeastern zone. Dream FM was chosen since it has
emerged consistently as the most popular FM station in the zone in the last five years.
The station is popular among both young and old people.
Nature of the Programme:
The programme was a one hour phone-in programme during which time Professors
Anthonia Achike, Constantine Mbarjiogu and Michael Uguru discussed climate change,
its effects on all aspects of life, mitigating measures and adaptation mechanisms. In
addition, the resource persons informed the public about the Climate Change
Economics, Policy and Innovation (CCEPI) programme currently running at the
University at the Post graduate diploma, Master's and Ph.D. levels, and entertained
questions from the audience. The following are some of the comments and questions
raised by the listeners who called in during the programme:
Comments (through the phone and the Facebook of the station):
1. The programme should be repeated in the Igbo language or pidgin English to
enhance better understanding by listeners who may not be able to understand the
delivery of the Professors.
2. As a result of all the industrial activities, and the resulting change in climate, people
are no longer able to correctly predict any season. These days, rainfall now
continues till December. This affects agriculture in the sense that when rain falls too
much or the sun shines too much, it is always a problem for the farmers.
Furthermore, too much rain results in erosion which washes off all the manure that
the plants are supposed to absorb. Too much sunshine also affects some plants. For
this reason it is important to cultivate the habit of planting grasses and plants so that
they will stop floods from carrying away the manure.
3. Climate change is a thing we must always acknowledge in our environment in spite
of whatever season. So climate change is basically now part of our reality (but it may
be temporary and not steady at any given time).
Question:
Does climate change affect portable water? If it does, how does it affect portable water?
And what can be done to protect the water reserves that we have?
23
Answer:
Climate change has a major impact on the hydrological cycle. The water cycle is a major
cycle that involves vapour transpiration from the water bodies particularly the oceans into
the atmosphere which eventually falls in our environment as rainfall, and other
environments as snow and unto the land which infiltrates the water and runs it off back into
the sea. That is a brief illustration of the water cycle. The cycle is intensified by climate
change. The rainfall season is shorter. This implies more intense rainfall and when
intensity increases it will cause not only flooding, but also erosion. So there exists the
phenomenon of managing large quantities of water within a very short time and if the
drainage system is not able to pass this water safely, because it is overflowing, then you
will have flooding which can come from both the land and from the rivers when they
overflow their banks. This is a major problem for water because you have too much
unusable water. It is too much, too quick and it is not useful. So you want to manage this or
reduce it in such a way that the water can be passed safely and delayed sufficiently to be
useful to man. Of course with the flooding, a lot of contaminants are transported along with
the water. So flood usually brings in poor quality water and creates water quality problems
because water that cannot be easily used without treatment is made available. Yes,
climate change does affect water availability and quality quite negatively.
Question:
How does the climate affect the movement of the earth?
Answer:
What affects the climate is the atmospheric movement. The flow of air in the atmosphere.
The earth rotates around the sun and that is what gives us our seasons. From January to
December you have one circle of rotation. The earth also rotates along its own axis and
that is what gives us our day from morning till night but the climate of the earth is primarily
determined by the atmosphere which is an area which circulates around the earth itself
and every planet has its own atmosphere. And it is the average long term change in the
atmospheric variables that we call climate change. The primary cause of course is well
established from the green house phenomenon. That is the green house effects because
the atmosphere around the earth traps some of the sun which heats the earth as it
radiates back, it traps it and that is what makes the earth warm. This warmth is what
makes life possible on the earth. The climate change problem can be seen in some sense
as too much of a good thing. The green house makes the earth warm and comfortable but
then it is getting too much. That is, the heat being trapped is getting too much. That is why
we need to cut down on the gases which are in the atmosphere; of course 60% of these
gases is water vapor and then carbon dioxide and metaine amongst other gasses. These
gases are industrial gasses which are emitted mostly by the developed countries.Africa is
not sufficiently contributing to the green house problem.
Question:
How will farmers adapt to climate change? Are there adaptation practices that farmers
can use to continue having increased production?
Answer:
Yes, these include: terracing, digging deep, mulching. The government can also create
awareness for people to plant trees, ridging across to catch running off waters, watching
and managing the planting times - the rains no longer come like they used to so they
cannot be easily predicted but when watched and managed, like if they plant later than
24

they used to, farmers can get good harvest. Farmers need to undergo a lot of training to
enable them adapt to the new situation. This is why the climate change centre in the
University of Nigeria Nsukka exists. There, trainings are organized for farmers, Civil
Society Organizations (CSOs), the clergy, etc. Experts from different fields are invited to
teach everyone because climate change affects our health, crops, animals etc.
Trainings are in different spheres on how to adapt to the menace of climate change that
has come to stay.
Question:
Are the trainings paid for? Do people have to enroll for it? Is it a university course?
Answer:
No. Trainings are free of charge. However, a paid post graduate programme called
Climate Change Economics Policy & Innovation (CCEPI) exists at the Post graduate
diploma, Master's and Ph.D. levels. People can take advantage of this and enroll for the
programme. Climate change is a dynamic thing that has come to stay with us and it is
evolving so we need to move with the change. Whatever adaptation measures we have
today, may change tomorrow. So we may have to re-strategize tomorrow. That is why the
currency of knowledge is important. This is why at whatever level the farmer is, in
whatever language he or she understands, the farmer will hear our message. We also
have demonstration centers in some of the villages. We will start with the villages around
Nsukka to demonstrate how to adapt to climate change depending on the location,
season, crop and livestock.The farmer is involved.
Question:
Is there a contact for someone who may be listening and want to get involved? Is there a
contact form?
Answer:
There exists the Africa Climate Change Adaptation Initiative (ACCAI) located in the
University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The office is located at the old Library building. Come
there with any climate change issue you may have and we will help solve the problem or
else link you to whoever will assist you.
Question:
Suggest more behavioural changes that we need to inculcate to enable proper
adaptation to climate change?
Answer:
We need to develop the mindset of utilizing the resources available to us. For example,
there are crop varieties and animal breeds that can tolerate extreme weather conditions.
The farmer cannot get that behind his house. The farmer needs to go out and ask for
those who have these new varieties and animal breeds because as things are changing,
the farmer needs to get things that can tolerate the change. In flooding for instance, there
are crops that can tolerate high water content in the soil and there are crops that cannot.
There are breeds that can tolerate drought to some extent and still produce at a level that
the farmer will profit from. The farmer needs to search for these things. That is the
essence of making contact especially through such gatherings so that people will know
where to find certain things.
25
Secondly, these measures being discussed need to be practiced and demonstrated for
the results to be seen. Formerly, people could plant on flat grounds i.e. with no ridges but
wherever inundation is suspected (i.e. plenty of water content in the soil), then the farmer
should make a big mound so that the water will go by natural drainage i.e. by gravity while
the crop remains at the apex. Then from the middle, the water will drain naturally even
without the farmer knowing. The crop in this situation will do well even with high water
content in the soil. This is a technology that the farmer can learn and practice as a way of
adapting.
Question:
On International television stations, several adverts tell viewers to save the planet by
turning off their lights and appliances. How do these help to save the planet?
Answer:
Energy conservation is a very important aspect of adaptation to climate change. By
conserving energy, we save the resources spent producing it especially the fossil fuels.
For instance, you have generating plants running on fossil fuels. If there is need to
produce less energy, then less fossil fuel will be utilized. Also, moving into alternative
renewable energy like bio mass, bio resources, solar wind and hydro power-these can
help reduce the problem of climate change by lowering the burning of fossil materials be it
petroleum or forest products. Energy conservation is definitely part of it.
Question:
Will turning off appliances when not in use help others who may need it? Is it part of
conserving energy?
Answer:
Yes, it will and it is part of conserving energy.
Conclusion: The programme came to an end at 6:00pm with the audience encouraged
to keep sending their questions even after the end of the programme as it will be
forwarded to the resource persons who will answer and send back to the radio station.
26
Baobab tree in front of the royal house in Oyedega

28
st
Date: 1 August 2014
Venue: Centre for Technical Vocational
Education, Training & Research
(CETVETAR), University of Nigeria,
Nsukka
Programme Coordinator/Facilitator: Prof.
B.A. Ogwo (Member, PIC, ACCAI-UNN)
The training commenced at 12:33pm with
introduction of all participants after which the
facilitator gave a brief introduction on the
purpose of the training, which he said was to
assist and guide participants on preparing
materials which will eventually be put into a
format that will help local people understand
and get a full grasp of what climate change
entails and appreciate the need for actions
on adaptation. As the facilitator stated the
learning objects will be accessible as well as
entertaining in order to sustain the interest of
the trainees.
The Training Process:
Following introductions, the facilitator
informed that media flashes were the major
learning objects to be used in facilitating the
training of the people. While showing visual
samples of these learning objects, and in
answer to a question from one of the
participants as to whether media flashes
were the same as power points, the
facilitator informed that media flashes were
learning objects that are much lighter than
power points especially because they were
designed not to be downloaded into
systems like the power point media which
were much heavier.
The facilitator went on to explain to
participants that in preparing materials for
the design of learning objects, every
learning exercise, should have objectives
and all assessments will be based on the
objectives. After the objectives, there will be
scripts and graphics for every slide which will
help illustrate climate change in a manner that
will be easily understood by the end users.
For images and graphics, to illustrate the
scripts, participants could go to google
images for images that would help illustrate
the script in a manner that will help the
programmer to design an effective learning
object that will be easily understood by the
end users who are the local people
themselves.
To make learning objects effective, the
facilitator informed that 'edutainment' which
he described as a new idea was a means of
mixing education with entertainment in order
to ensure that the interests of end users are
sustained. In addition, color, graphics,
animation, videos etc should be used in
preparing presentations for the end users.
The end of each presentation session would
be followed by evaluation. The evaluation
would entail a set of questions for the end user
to answer. It is basically used to rate the level
of understanding of the user. The questions
themselves have answers such that when an
end user answers wrongly, it is promptly noted
and in some learning objects, when an end
user answers wrongly, the design takes the
user back to the section concerned so that the
end user will re-read and understand the
session. Generally, end users according to
the facilitator should be able to identify with
the format.
Determining the Format of the Learning
Object:
After some discussions, the participants
suggested that the format of the learning
object should be as follows:
1. Advocacy
2. What is climate change
3. Effects of climate change
4. Adaptation e.g. farming season,
Improved seeds, Mechanisms etc
Time: 2:00pm
Venue: Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu
Co-ordinator: Rev. Fr. Prof. H. Ichoku
Resource Persons: Prof.AnthoniaAchike
Prof. Ignatius Madu
As part of measures to create awareness of the activities ofACCAI-UNN programmes as
well as Climate Change as a current reality in the Nigerian environment, a clergy
engagement was held at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu on Friday, 8thAugust, 2014.
The Programme/Process:
The ACCAI-UNN team was invited to make a
presentation during the second Enugu Catholic
Diocesan pastoral council meeting presided
over by the Catholic bishop of Enugu diocese His
lordship, Dr. V.C. Onaga and attended by all
parishes in Enugu diocese. Each parish was
represented by a parish priest, vice chairman
and secretary
of the parish council, chairman of the Catholic
Men's organization, chairperson of the Catholic
Women's Organization, Catechist and President of the youth organization. At the high
table were Very Rev. Fr. Louis Ndulue; Rev. Sr. Dr.
M.I. Okafor; Sir Nath Maduabuchi Onyia;
Monsignor Patrick Ugwu; Monsignor LukeAdike.
Originally slated for 12noon, the event eventually
commenced by 2pm when the AACAI-UNN team,
was ushered in to make a presentation for 5
minutes. ProfAnthoniaAchike introduced the team
and gave a brief background of theACCAI-UNN, its
goals, vision, mission as well as opportunities
available for farmers, students and the general
public. At the end of her introduction,
the resource person Prof Ignatius
Madu took the podium and made his
presentation on 'Understanding
Climate Change and Knowing Your
Responsibilities for Mitigation and
Adaptation'. The programme ended
an hour later at 3pm.
27

These will also include the objective,
content, sequence as well as a concept map
which will show the meaning, effects and
adaptation.
The facilitator informed the trainees that the
presentation must be of international
standard which everyone in the audience
should be able to identify with. It should also
inculcate what is currently being done by
farmers before this intervention.
Format of Presentation:
On the format of the presentation,
participants were told to use the following:
1. Author
2. Topic
3. Objectives
4. Description
The facilitator added that the participants
should indicate wherever they wish to have
animations or rotations that will aid better
visual understanding of the slides.
29
mucha is a terrain prone to surface/soil
erosions, and landslides. The community
has as a result lost most of its fertileAfarming land to erosion menace over the years.
The erosion menace began gradually in the early
seventies and by the 1980s it has become a great
menace threatening the survival and continuos
existence of the community and its indigenes.
Despite being the source of the great Njaba River,
Amucha Ohonnya cannot boast of having any
species of fish in its river as the river has been
blocked by the same erosion problem.Apart from
this obvious aqua dimension, the River which
used to be a source of drinking and domestic water
for the community has become a picture of sand
and debris from the drainage that was constructed
by President Shagari's regime to control the
erosion. In spite of the fact that the Shagari's
administration's effort remain the first and
perhaps only systematic and large scale effort to
deal with the menace, the said drainages where
notproperlyterminated.
As a result, its offloading point is prone to
artificial landslides as the flood water has found a
channel underneath the said drainage at the
termination point. This faulty termination of the
drainage makes it for the flood to erode the
drainage from that terminal and move gradually
backwards from the springs at Njaba River banks
which it has destroyed. However, the other finger
of the gully continues inwards and towards the
roads in the community which were ironically
supposed to be protected by the construction of
the drainages. Having lost their natural sources of
spring water to an earlier but now failing attempt
at controlling the flood water, the residents of the
community now face acute water shortages and
are especially motivated to seek for alternative
sources of water both for drinking and domestic
use. For the less privileged community members
who are the overwhelming majority of those
resident in the community, such alternative
sources are neither checked for purity nor
cleanliness thereby exposing themselves to
various water borne diseases and other afflictions
associated with this. Hence, there is no gainsaying
the need for a remedial response to the water
scarcityfacedbythecommunity.
While there has been a noticeable decline in the
official concern and worry with the Amucha
erosion over the years, the erosion has neither
abated nor declined significantly. Implied in this
fact is that the negative consequences of the
erosion continue to visit the community. One
reliable means that the community has embraced
for dealing with the menace and halting the march
of the flood has been through a massive tree
planting campaign championed by both the town
union and a CSO -Amucha Ohonnya Erosions and
Ecosystems Foundation. This tree planting
campaign which has gone on for years now and is
result oriented seeks for further support and help
from the state and agencies outside the
community. One way of doing this would be
through the donation of such trees to the
30
Community Focus:
COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Tackling the Amucha Erosion
through Communal Efforts
- Chijioke Emenalo
Gully Erosion in Amucha, Njaba LGA, Imo State
Learning ObjectAreas:
In line with the choice and view of the
trainees, after extensive discussion on both
the merits and demerits as well as scope and
extent of coverage in line with the broad
ACCAI-UNN mandate, the following object
areas were chosen:
1. Food security
2. GeneralAwareness
3. Gender
4. Health implications
The training came to an end at about 2 pm
during which time the facilitator informed
everyone that physical meetings had come
to an end. Hence, further meetings and
interactions would be online via emails or
other means as the occasion demands. In
addition, participants agreed to turn in their
materials to the facilitator for final
compilation, a week from the date of training
so as to enable the facilitator send same to
the programmer.

31
community. Also, there is need for research
efforts into erosion halting trees that may prosper
in the soil in the community despite the ravages
of floods. There is equally the need for extension
agents and other such experts to interact with the
community in order to properly situate this
campaign within the framework of best
practices.
With appropriate and committed support, there is
no doubt that we can make a difference!After all,
scientists and specialists on soil erosion have
said time without number that ROOTS of trees
help to bind and hold the soil together. One
reverse implication of tree planting as erosion
control is the need for tree cutting to be severely
curtailed. Therefore, as the farming season heats
up or commences (depending on the crop being
planted) there is need for raising the awareness
of community members on the dangers and
adverse implications of indiscriminate tree
cutting. Instead of cutting trees, there is need for
people to embrace tree planting even on their
individual capacities. In this regard, the month of
May is a good time to plant trees; so also April,
June, July,August and September. So long as the
rainskeepfalling,onecankeepplantingtrees.
Plant a tree today.As you read aboutAmucha we
do not want you to keep thinking about gully and
soil erosions alone, we want you to think about
the people who live in Amucha and numerous
communities like it in Nigeria. Hence as we
make our pleas and SOS for an immediate
RESCUE by tree planting and other sundry
emergency measures to checkmate erosion
menace across Amucha land, we need you to
remember tree planting for your own community
too!.
TREES outlive life, so if you want to be
remembered after this life, PLANT A TREE
TODAY.And watchitgrow!
The Federal Government and Imo State
Government can help any ecologically
disadvantaged area with trees and other forms of
compensation in addition to well-planned and
managed resettlement or relocation. Therefore,
as individuals and groups we should not keep
quiet in the face of the fight against ecological
disasters, global warming, climate change and
ozonelayerdepletionallovertheworld.
However, it is no secret that there is an ecological
fund from the Federal Government of Nigeria,
there is no denying the fact also that communities
like Amucha are numerous in Nigeria (in fact, the
list keeps growing almost exponentially as climate
change accelerates every year) and are more often
than not left to survive or perish on their own.
However, a lot can be achieved in terms of
remedial efforts if communities like Amucha can
be allowed to tap into the Federal Government's
ecology fund which is a component of national
budgeting every year. There is no gainsaying the
obvious fact that Amucha community no longer
has land on which to farm or river from which to
fish andsourcedrinkingwater.
Finally, thanks for planting that tree today (just
any tree would do). It is easy, it is fun, and it
outlives this life. So here is a chance to dabble with
immortality gentlemen and sisters, plant a tree
today!
-Hon. Barr. Chijioke Emenalo
is a Lawyer and environmental
rights activist. He is also the National
Co-ordinator of Amucha Ohonnya
Erosions and Ecosystems Foundation
(a group of volunteers fighting erosions and
ecological disaster in Amucha through tree
planting and other awareness campaigns).
Another Devastating Erosion Menace in Amucha
32
n the 13th of
August, 2014,
Osome ACCAI-
UNN team members paid
a courtesy call to the new
Vice Chancellor of the
University of Nigeria,
Professor Ben Ozumba.
The team was led by the
Director of the ACCAI-
UNN programme, Prof.
Mrs. Anthonia Achike
and included some
m e m b e r s o f t h e
P r o g r a m m e
I m p l e m e n t a t i o n
C o m m i t t e e ( P I C ) :
Professors Karl Okezie
and Eric Eboh, and staff
of the programme Ms.
Kobi Ikpo & Mr. Samuel
Ogunmefun, Programme
Officer and Programme
Assistant. The team
congratulated the Vice
Chancellor on his recent
appointment as the 14th
Vice Chancellor of the
University of Nigeria.
S p e a k i n g a t t h e
occasion, the Director,
intimated the Vice
Chancellor of the aims
and objectives of the
A C C A I - U N N
programme, its strategic
o b j e c t i v e s ,
organizational
and operative
structure, target
a u d i e n c e ,
p r o g r a m m e
a c t i v i t y
c o m p o n e n t s ,
expected out-
puts, impacts,
p r o g r e s s
achieved so far,
areas of possible
collaboration with
other universities,
ancillary programmes
under ACCAI, contract and
f i n a n c i a l s t a t u s ,
challenges, emerging
opportunities and possible
new programmes.
Also speaking at the
occasion, Prof Eric Eboh
noted that the ACCAI-UNN
programme objectives
aligned well with the Vice
Chancellors' dream of
making the university a
world class institution.
The Vice Chancellor in his
response thanked the
team for their visit and
pointed out that he had
already started making
efforts to adequately
address some of the
challenges listed by the
Director in her speech. The
VC further assured the
team that he will continue
to look into the challenges
listed by the director.

3433
he Programme Implementation
Committee (PIC) of Africa Climate
Change Adaptation Initiative, UniversityTof Nigeria Nsukka, (ACCAI-UNN) recently
presented a brand new bus it acquired to the Vice-
Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Prof
BenjaminOzumba.
At the occasion, the Director of ACCAI-UNN,
Prof. (Mrs)AntoniaAchike explained to the Vice-
Chancellor that the bus was a project vehicle
donated to the Centre by its funder- Open Society
Foundation (OSF) of the United States of
America.
She highlighted some activities of the Centre in
the past few months to include: community-level
training for farmers, local government councillors
and town union leaders in Nsukka; Climate
Change seminar series, media engagements,
excursions to communities with high impact level
of climate change; engagement of civil societies
on the issue of climate change, among others.
Prof. Achike thanked the University
administration for its support in the ACCAI-
UNN programme, and reaffirmed the
commitment of the PIC members in driving the
mandateof theCentretohigherlevel.
After receiving the keys and particulars of the
bus from the ACCAI-PIC Chairman, Prof.
Polycarp Chigbu, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof
Benjamin Ozumba, commended the passion of
members of the committee in enforcing the
mandate of ACCAI-UNN.He noted that the
awareness level of Nigerians on the issue of
climate change adaptation and mitigation
strategies has increased as a result of the
activities ofACCAI-UNN. He also commended
the OSF for its laudable support of the ACCAI
programme. Finally, Prof Ozumba enjoined
other Centres in the University to borrow a leaf
fromACCAI-UNN to enablethemattractgrants
andotherresourcestotheUniversity.
Presents Project Vehicle to the Vice - Chancellor
Excursion Team crossing the Oguta Lake
Parley with community members in Oyedega
Participants at a recent ACCAI research seminar
The skyline in Oyedega
Pristine nature tampered by climate change
Viewing remote ends of the Oko Erosion from Nanka

ACCAI-UNN NEWSLETTER REPORTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (16)

Similar to ACCAI-UNN NEWSLETTER REPORTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION

Similar to ACCAI-UNN NEWSLETTER REPORTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

ACCAI-UNN NEWSLETTER REPORTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION