The Abia Project Coordinating Office of the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises, Niger Delta, (LIFE-ND), has distributed agro inputs worth millions of naira to its beneficiaries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that LIFE-ND project is funded by International Fund for Agricultural Development, (IFAD), in collaboration with the Federal Government and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Its objective is promote community-based on-farm and off-farm business activities for sustainable food security in the Niger Delta region.
The distribution exercise which took place at the project’s office in Umuahia, had 30 persons empowered with 30 pieces of 6.5 kva petrol engine power generating set and 30 pieces of deep refrigerator for frozen chicken.
Other items distributed were 25 pieces of cassava grating machines and 25 pieces of cassava presser machines while 147 beneficiaries were given poultry feeds for poultry farming.
Speaking on Friday, the State Project Coordinator, Dr Uchenna Onyeizu, said the exercise was part of the routine agro inputs distribution and supply to different beneficiaries across different enterprises.
He said that the items were for the beneficiaries in frozen chicken agro foods and garri processing enterprises, for them to fully carry out what they had been taught within those areas.
According to him, the beneficiaries have undergone the training at our various incubation centres, and today, they now have their own inputs to begin their agribusinesses.
Onyeizu said: “We have done it in different batches and this is the fourth batch of our empowerment activities.
“These inputs are basically what they need to begin to provide some level of services from the agricultural sector.
“Beyond giving them inputs, we will also provide them with running cost, which they will use to buy other complementary things they need to carry out their businesses.”
A beneficiary, Mr Augustine Uchenna of Amaco Farm, Umutowe, Umuahia South Local Government Area, who was excited by the gesture, promised to use the opportunity to create jobs to idle youths in his community.
Another beneficiary, Ms Lois Nwanmuo from Uratta, Osisioma Local Government Area, who is into cassava processing ,said that it was a “rare privilege” while promising to maximise the opportunity.(NAN)
