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=CLIMATE CHANGE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS OF NIGERIA= =Dr. Julius O. Olokor, Climate Scientist, National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research=

=P.M.B New Bussa, Niger State Nigeria=

The institute NIFFR web site is the only institution in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, West Africa with the national mandate to carry out research and development on its freshwater ecosystem.

Dr. Julius Oghekaro Olokor is the Director of Research (Climate Sciences) at the National Institute for freshwater Fisheries Research, New Bussa, Niger State Nigeria. He holds a Ph.D. in Meteorology from the Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State Nigeria. He has over 25 years field research experience in the area of agro-climatic research in Nigeria and several African countries, where he has undertaken studies in sustainable water and land management for crop, livestock and fisheries production, as well as the study of short and long term climate variability and climate change impacts on agriculture. Between 1993 and 1999, he served as consultant to the Nigerian-German (gtz) Kainji Lake Fisheries Promotion Project, to use Geographical Information System and Remote Sensing techniques, to map the spatial spread of the invasive Water Hyacinth (Eirchhornia crasippes) hindering effective utilization of the water body for HEP and fisheries in Nigeria. The gtz in 1999 also appointed him consultant to model the rainfall and flood patterns of the lake and the international waters upstream of the River Niger, the outcomes of which assisted the then Dam authorities to avert significant impacts of the 1999 floods on the riparian communities along the lower Niger River. Till date Dr. J.O.Olokor has undertaken numerous environmental impact assessments (EIA) of natural ecosystems across Nigeria affected by floods, drought, deforestation or pollution, and joined other experts to develop community based (co-management) approaches for their sustainable management. An accomplished Climate Scientist, specializing in the area of climate change adaptation, Dr. J.O.Olokor has deep understanding of the challenges faced by Africa’s agricultural system and the drive to reposition it for global competitiveness. He has undergone several international and national trainings which positions him effectively for his work, among which are: Aquaculture Intensive Fish Cultivation Management at the distinguished Galilee International Management institute, Israel; Priority Setting for Agricultural Research Programs (International Food Policy Research Institute); Agricultural Policy Analyses, (ARMTI). His diverse experience in agricultural research is reflected in the diversity of his scientific publications and books which cut across several disciplines in the field of agriculture as well as scores of agricultural of technologies generated by him, among which is the notable Kainji Solar Tent Dryer, a Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) technology that has helped cut down on fuel wood use for fish smoking and elimination of CO2 emission. Dr. J.O.Olokor served as a member of several Nigerian ministerial committees including: The Working Group on Climate modeling and Simulation for Nigeria’s Third National Communication (Federal Ministry Environment and UNDP); the National Round Table Experts’ committee on Nigeria’s Response to Climate Change (Federal Ministry of Environment, Abuja); The Advisory Committee on Agricultural Resilience to Climate Change in Nigeria (ACARN) and the Nigerian Environmental Study/ Action team (NEST). Till date he teaches Agro-climatology and supervises hundreds of Nigerian university students that are on Industrial Attachment to his institute annually. Currently, he serves as consultant on CSA in the United States of America.