At the 14th Annual Conference/Annual General Meeting of the NAHS held from Wednesday, 5th to Friday, 8th November, 2024, at the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH) in Okitipupa, Nigeria, Prof. Philip Oguntunde emphasized the necessity for collaborative efforts to combat the detrimental impact of floods and droughts on agriculture and food production in the past decade.

Highlighting the theme of the conference, "Managing Floods and Droughts for Food Security," the esteemed professor of Environmental Hydrology and Water Engineering underscored the severe consequences of these disasters on food scarcity and hunger nationwide.

Prof. Oguntunde, a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), stressed the expertise of NAHS members in offering technical solutions to flooding and droughts, emphasizing the crucial need for substantial collaboration and political commitment from the government.

Citing statistics that revealed significant crop and livestock losses due to flood hazards, particularly in developing countries, the professor called for proactive measures to prevent future damages, urging the establishment of an expert 'think tank' to forecast and mitigate potential disasters as practised in more advanced regions globally.

Echoing these sentiments, Prof. David Jimoh, the National President of NAHS from the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMinna), underscored the detrimental impact of floods and droughts on food accessibility and stability, citing recent incidents that have displaced hundreds of thousands of individuals and resulted in substantial economic losses.

Emphasizing the critical role of research in addressing environmental challenges, Prof. Jimoh urged the government to allocate increased funding for research initiatives and engage more professionals to mitigate the adverse effects of floods and droughts on agriculture and food security in Nigeria.

Furthermore, Dr. Adebayo Eludoyin, the lead paper presenter from the Department of Geography at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), emphasized the urgent need to address weather-related disasters that threaten livelihoods and food security, particularly among vulnerable populations in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.

Proposing a multi-disciplinary approach and the integration of climate-smart technologies, Dr. Eludoyin advocated for proactive strategies to combat the impacts of floods and droughts, including the adoption of innovative agricultural practices and resilient crop varieties.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Temi Ologunorisa, the Vice-Chancellor of OAUSTECH, commended the gathering of experts and scholars at the NAHS Annual Conference, anticipating collaborative solutions to the pressing challenges of floods and droughts facing the nation.

The event, which attracted a diverse audience of experts, academics, and stakeholders, also featured the presentation of the Emeritus Professor Lekan Oyebande Award for the best Ph.D. Thesis in Hydrology and Water Resources for 2023/2024 to Dr. Salami, Afeez Alabi, for his outstanding research on "An Assessment of Remotely Sensed Precipitation Data for Synoptic Weather Forecast and Drought Monitoring in Nigeria."

SIGNED
Abiodun Peter Okunniga, FITD, MNIM, MANUPA,
Registrar and Secretary to Council