FG/IFAD project  to empower 38,250 youths, women in Niger Delta

The Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development Programme (IFAD) assisted Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Project-Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) says it will empower 38,250 youths and women in nine states of Niger Delta.

The National Coordinator of the Project, Mr Sanni Abiodun, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

Abiodun said IFAD would fund 25,000 beneficiaries in the rural communities in six states out of the total number of states in the region.

He listed the benefiting states as Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Ondo, while the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) would fund 12,750 beneficiaries in Akwa Ibom, Imo and Rivers States.

Abiodun said that the project, which commenced full implementation in 2020 and scheduled for completion in 2025, had so far empowered over 4,000 women and youths out of the 38,250 targeted beneficiaries.

“The direct beneficiary distribution by gender and enterprise indicates that by the project completion date of 2025, a total of 17,850 smallholder farmers and 7,650 processors/marketers would have been strategically empowered in rural areas of the targeted states.

“NDDC is expected to equally support 4,250 beneficiaries each in Akwa-Ibom, Imo and Rivers, all totaling 38,250.

“The project is working on seven priority commodities which are rice, cassava, plantain, oil palm cocoa, poultry and fishery (aquaculture and artisanal),” he said.

Abiodun said that the project had two main components- the technical component entitled “Enhancement of Economic Opportunity for Rural Youths and Women-headed Households”, while the second component entails management and coordination.

The IFAD national coordinator noted that the goal of the LIFE-ND was to evolve a transformed rural economy with equal benefit to the rural populace.

“The central thrust of the project is the incubation model, designed to drive and promote agribusiness enterprise development among women and youths in the rural areas of Niger Delta region.

“The project is supported by a strategic Project Development Objectives (PDO) to enhance income, food security and job creation for women and youths through agribusiness development on a sustainable basis,” he said.

According to Abiodun, the project designed to be implemented over a period of 12 years has both the first phase of six years and an additional six years to be financed in future by other partners or an additional IFAD loan. (NAN)