The Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) held its Public Presentation of the 2022 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) on the 15^th February,2022 at NAF Conference Centre, Gwarinpa Expressway, Kado Abuja, with the theme Strengthening Climate Actions through Timely and Impact-Based Climate Prediction for Economic Recovery. Highlights of the SCP for agriculture are as follows;

The predicted annual rainfall amount for the year 2022 is likely to range from 390mm in the far north to over 2790mm in the coastal states. Rainfall amount ranging from 390mm to 790mm is likely in some parts of Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Kastina and sokoto, places like Nasarawa, Taraba, Kogi, Benue, Ekiti, Osun and Oyo as well as FCT are expected to have 1190mm to 1590mm, and Southernmost state namely Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom, Delta, and Cross River are predicted to record annual rainfall amounts of 2700mm and above.

The Onset of the planting season is predicted to be normal over most parts of Nigeria with few areas having it earlier while some areas having it delayed. The Onset is likely to occur on or about the 28^th February, 2022 around Coastal Zone of the south-south states of Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom, Central States is expected to occur around April and May, and Northern states are expected to occur around June to July.

Rainfall cessation dates across most parts of the country in 2022 is predicted to be near long-term average conditions across most part of the country, the cessation day for North is anticipated to begin from early-October to mid-November while central state to begin mid-November and expected to cease by mid-December in the southernmost parts of the country.

Dry Spell of different degrees of severity ranging from mild to severe, are predicted for different parts of the country persisting from 15days in places like North central and 20days in Northmost part of the country or longer in June 2022.

With this, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) through Federal Department of Agricultural Land and Climate Change Management Service Signed a Memorandum (MOU) of Understanding with Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) on the 3^rd of March,2022 on Weather and Climate information Services in order to support the mandate of the FMARD to improve agricultural productivity, and increase the adaptive capacity of farmers to the impact of weather variabilities. NiMet and FMARD had agreed to collaborate and hereby enter into this Memorandum of Understanding under the terms and objectives set out.

The MUO would be focused on downscaling of Seasonal Climate Prediction to States, Local Government Areas (LGAs) and other farming stakeholders.