The Livelihood Improvement and Family Enterprises in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project, which is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has started implementing an agri-entrepreneurship program in the states of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Imo.
This was revealed in a statement provided to reporters in Abuja on Saturday, April 5th, by the National Project Coordinator, Dr Abiodun Sanni, for LIFE-ND.
He made this statement after project authorities conducted a tour of inspections and sensitisation.
According to Sanni, the three states are among those that receive funding from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
He emphasised that implementation has begun with community sensitisation and identifying incubators and incubatees in the participating states.
According to him, the sensitisation aims to create community awareness and instil a sense of ownership.
He noted that the exercise involved engaging community members and leaders and identifying potential incubators (trainers) and incubatees (trainees) in the respective Local Government Areas.
“This sensitisation exercise creates a background for the next exercise, profiling potential incubators and incubatees who are the key players in the LIFE-ND incubation model.
“This model takes its roots from the traditional master-apprenticeship system popularly practised in the eastern region of Nigeria.
“The set target is that each state is expected to empower 4,250 beneficiaries, and there is a deliberate effort at ensuring gender balance is achieved,” he said.
Sanni explained that the identified beneficiaries would be profiled, and prospective incubators and incubatees would be selected.
“In terms of commodity focus, Akwa Ibom will prioritise cassava, oil palm, poultry, and aquaculture; Imo will focus on cassava, rice, poultry, and aquaculture; while Rivers will target cassava, plantain, poultry, and aquaculture.
“The overall goal of the LIFE-ND project is to realise a transformed rural economy in the Niger Delta from which the rural population can derive prosperity and equal benefit.
“The project development objective is to enhance income, food security and job creation for rural youth and women through agri-enterprise development on a sustainable basis in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria”.
The LIFE-ND project, a joint initiative of the Federal Government and IFAD, officially began on February 21, 2019.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) is the lead implementing agency. At the same time, NDDC acts as a partner in delivering the project across the nine Niger Delta states.
The project targets 38,250 beneficiaries in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers.
Sanni clarified that IFAD is funding six states: Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Ondo, while NDDC is funding the remaining three.
He noted that the project includes an initial six-year phase with parallel funding from NDDC and an additional six years under future IFAD financing.
According to Sanni, “IFAD has released 60 million US dollars in the first, enabling the implementation of the project in the six states of Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Ondo from 2019 to 2025.
“NDDC-funded states commenced implementation in 2024 when it made the initial commitment of 2.5 million dollars in August 2024 and another 2.5 million dollars in Jan. 2025. The said amount will enable the three states to swing into full implementation”.
Meanwhile, on the ground in Imo State, stakeholders have witnessed the project’s impact.
Mr Mbaeyi Emeka, an incubator and owner of Prince Mbaeyi Emeka Farm in Obollo Autonomous Community, Isiala Mbano Local Government Area, commended the LIFE-ND intervention.
Before joining the project, Emeka recounted that he had previously operated as a subsistence cassava farmer.
“I advise youth and women indulging in cassava production to be dedicated. If you can endure for one year when the cassava has matured, you will realise a bumper harvest, be self-sustaining economically and be an employer of labour.
“There is money in farming, especially cassava. When l returned from Italy after spending four years, l went into farming which is profitable.
“So, l advise people to be courageous and go into farming, especially cassava production, rather than waiting for time in expectation of civil service and oil jobs that are unavailable,” he said.
Similarly, Mbaeyi Farms incubatee Mrs Ifeoma Njoku characterised cassava cultivation as profitable.
She urged other women to benefit from the LIFE-ND initiative to enhance their living standards and increase household earnings.
She commended the initiative for easing the hardships of the underprivileged.
Additionally, the project has given incubatees a chance to learn about the production of broilers and layers, according to Mr Young-man Soseipiri, Assistant Farm Manager of Petros Poultry Farms in the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area.
Source: AgroNigeria
