The LIFE-ND National Coordinator, Dr Sanni Abiodun,revealed this at the special launch organised in Port Harcourt for the participation of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) sponsored states of Akwa Ibom, Imo and Rivers, in the LIFE-ND project.
This according to him, was achieved through the establishment of selected agricultural commodities’ facilities and provision of seed capital to update the learning environment of the beneficiaries.
He said that the project also empowered the people through the provision of working capital, starter packs, capacity building, training charges of the trainers and stipends to help beneficiaries get to training centres.
Abiodun in his presentation at the launch revealed that the six IFAD-sponsored LIFE-ND states of Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Ondo, have empowered more than 25,500 youths, women and persons with disabilities, scaling up their incomes and establishing them as employers of labour.
He explained that the LIFE-ND has seven priority commodities of rice, poultry, plantain and cassava, oil palm processing, fishery and cocoa.
Abiodun said that they are implemented on-farm and off-farm business activities along those key agricultural value chains.
In his presentation, Abiodun he gave the breakdown of number of beneficiaries in each state as; Abia, 4,379; Bayelsa, 4,398; Cross River, 4,370.
He commended the spirited effort of NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku for the counterpart funding which for five years has “expelled” the three states from the Project.
“Today is a unique day because for the past five years we’ve been pushing for NDDC participation in this project and it has manifested.
Speaking at the launch, Abia LIFE-ND Project Coordinator, Uchenna Rowland Onyeizu, Ph.D, CEnv, welcomed the inclusion of the three states as”good news” for the region.
He said that it would enhance the living standards of thousands of would-be beneficiaries through various empowerments of job creation in agribusinesses, upscaling them to independent entrepreneurs.
“We hope that NDDC will keep to their words. If they do, there may not be any challenges.”
He advised the benefiting states’ actors to adequately sensitise and mobilise the communities for immediate project implementation activities.
LIFE-ND began in 2020 and by March, 2025 the financial first phase of the project is expected to be completed, while the implementation closure will be in September 2025.
However, the project, having performed creditably well, will receive three years additional funding for its transition to the second phase of the project.
Dignitaries present at the launch were representative of Rivers State Governor, Hon.Prince Anchor Nna and IFAD Country Office Director, Mrs Dede Ahoefa Ekoue.
Also present were the representative of Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Dr Abubakar Kyari and representative of Abia on NDDC Board, Chief Eruba Dimgba.
Others were representatives of the three states; State Project Coordinators of six IFAD-sponsored states, including National Project Officers.
