The Challenge will focus on assessing and mitigating the agricultural impacts associated with chronic drought and flooding in Nigeria due to climate change

LAGOS, NIGERIA, AFRICA, May 5, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- On May 5, 2023, the Sustainable Africa Initiative (SAI) launched the Climate Risk Research Challenge in Nigeria. The Challenge will focus on assessing and mitigating the agricultural impacts associated with chronic drought and flooding in Nigeria due to climate change. This initiative, the first of its kind in Nigeria, seeks to empower African climate scientists, university students, businesses, financial institutions, and NGOs to analyze risks and develop adaptation strategies under different transition scenarios.

“As one of the fastest growth countries in the world, my country uses the income from oil exports to obtain the U.S. Dollars needed to purchase and import the infrastructure components to grow our economy, as well as to purchase items like wheat and grain to feed our 220+ million citizens.”, said Abubakar Shuaibu, CEO of Green Energy Mission Africa and founding member of SAI. “With substantial declining oil export revenues on the horizon and our agriculture industry at high risk of drought and flooding, it’s critical that Nigerians can assess and adapt to the changes facing our country. Our increasing population and economy depend on it.”

The goal of the Challenge is to create a set of scientifically-based climate-risk models and long-term adaptation plans, which will be developed by Nigerian university students, data scientists, sustainability advocates, and environmental scientists in collaboration with consortium members from the Sustainable Africa Initiative.

During the Challenge, SAI will also establish an open-source, Africa-centric platform - the Climate Risk & Resilience Data Mesh - that offers Physical Risk & Resilience and Transition Analysis tools, relevant models and data, along with cloud-based infrastructure resources and self-service training to African communities. “This platform will enable the development of mitigation and adaptation strategies that reduce the impact of physical climate change and a shift towards a low-carbon world.”, said Brendan Reilly, Chairman of Climate Risk Research Foundation and founding member of SAI.

The Sustainable Africa Initiative will award three winning teams who participate in the Challenge with $5,000 for 1st prize, $3,500 for 2nd prize, and $1,500 for 3rd prize. By highlighting and rewarding Nigeria's youth who perform climate risk research and identify adaptation solutions, the group aims to establish a grassroots movement, one led by local community stakeholders who will improve, develop, and expand a growing repository of models, data, analytical capabilities, and training materials.

Despite the significant risks that climate change poses to all sectors and constituents in African countries, the Sustainable Africa Initiative strives to provide creative solutions to tackle these challenges and construct a more sustainable and resilient future for the continent.

SAI is funding the challenge and seeks additional grant funds, along with collaborators to help support and promote the event. All activities will be captured in a blueprint for future use by other African stakeholders.

For specific information on the challenge please visit https://sustainableafricainitiative.org/#Challenge. To participate, contribute funds, or learn more about this initiative, visit us at www.sustainableafricainitiative.org and follow along across social media platforms #sustainableafricainiatitive. We hope you join us in creating a sustainable and resilient future for Africa

Contact:
Heather
OS-Climate
Email: HAckenhusen@os-climate.org

About Sustainable Africa Initiative
The Sustainable Africa Initiative grapples with a fundamental question - How can the Global South transition into a low carbon economy, enhance the quality of life for its growing populace, and guarantee food security for the region? We believe that the solution lies in the data, but uncovering requisite solutions demands a global cooperative approach - and this, without doubt, constitutes THE CHALLENGE.

Sarah
Climate Risk Research
email us here

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