LIFE-ND targets 36,000 beneficiaries, says Edo coordinator
•4,387 trained in first phase No fewer than 36,000 rural people are billed to benefit from the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project in the region,
•4,387 trained in first phase
No fewer than 36,000 rural people are billed to benefit from the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project in the region, its Edo State Coordinator, John Omoruyi, has said.
In a statement, he said the programme has recorded successes since its launch seven years ago in the state with 4,387 people benefiting from it in its first phase in the region.
Omoruyi said beneficiaries were supported with training, mentoring and finance across agricultural value chains such as rice, cassava, poultry and fisheries.
Omoruyi further said the successes recorded encouraged Governor Monday Okpebholo to approve farmland in local government areas to promote cluster farming and appropriated N1.6 billion in last year’s budget to expand the programme to eight more local government areas, noting that more than N500 million had been disbursed in the first 100 days of the administration to support 1,797 youths and women.
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Omoruyi said the expansion is expected to generate about 2,000 more jobs when counterpart funding is released.
The initiative, supported by the Federal Government, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), focuses on promoting sustainable agriculture, enhancing food security and reducing unemployment across rural communities.
Omoruyi quoted Okpebholo as saying agriculture remains the focus of his administration’s economic strategy, stressing that expanding opportunities in farming and agribusiness would improve food security and provide sustainable employment for young people.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Jerry Uwangue, described LIFE-ND as a panacea for improving rural livelihoods and strengthening agriculture.
He said the state government was collaborating with development partners on the proposed LIFE-ND Plus initiative to further expand the programme’s impact.
IFAD Country Director, Dede Ekue, added: “From our field visits, LIFE-ND stands as a testimony of how targeted investments in youths and women can transform rural communities,’’ noting IFAD’s commitment to raising the programme.
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Also, an NDDC senior official, Stella Manureh, said the initiative contributes to economic stability in the region by poverty reduction and enterprise development promotion.
Aside skills training and finance, the project has strengthened rural infrastructure, with more than 28 facilities, including processing centres and farm clusters, constructed across communities.
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Some beneficiaries attested to the programme’s improvement of their income and living conditions.
A poultry farmer and project incubator,Grace Nwaozuzu, said she had been able to expand her business, as she now produces between 250 and 350 day-old chicks per cycle and earns up to N200,000. “With the income, my husband and I were able to buy a small car used for distributing our products,” she added.
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A fish processor from Uteh community, Efe Ehanire, said the project introduced a hybrid gas kiln that replaced traditional firewood, thereby improving efficiency and income for more than 30 women using the facility.
The National Coordinator of LIFE-ND, Abiodun Sanni, identified limited access to finance, market linkages and climate variability as challenges affecting agricultural productivity across participating states.
He said the project had exceeded initial expectations, reaching more than 26,400 beneficiaries in the first phase.
Some stakeholders, according to Omoruyi, said sustained investment in initiatives such as LIFE-ND would play an important role in youth unemployment reduction, food security improvement and rural economies raising in the region.
