Min. of Agric Launches App For Flood Prediction

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has launched a smart phone application – “Wetin App” for flood forecasting especially along the Niger and Benue rivers.

The application, which will be available on Google App Store is a collaborative project of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Speaking at the launching event in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture – Dr. Shehu Ahmed, represented by the Director of Agricultural Businesses, Processing and Marketing – Alh. Azeez M. Olumuyiwa said Nigeria sought the help of the international agency to develop the application following the devastating flood of 2012 which led to huge destruction of farms, houses and human lives.

The Permanent Secretary added that the country had decided to turn that bitter experience into a blessing by looking at the various ways farmers and government could take advantage of the technology.

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The Regional Director for Africa at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) – Professor Timothy Olalekan Williams, said the App was developed using data from the Nigerian Hydrological Service Agency, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the satellite.