Abuja: The International Fund for Agricultural Development – Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in Niger Delta (IFAD-LIFE-ND) has announced an additional $32 million in financing to enhance its agricultural projects across six states in the Niger Delta. Dr. Abiodun Sanni, the National Project Coordinator of the Federal Government/IFAD-LIFE-ND project, revealed the development during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the additional funding was authorized by the Federal Government and IFAD, with implementation expected to begin by the end of September. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) will serve as the lead implementation agency, while the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) will act as a co-lead.
The project, set to run for three years, aims to operate in the states of Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Ondo. It seeks to establish more than 13,000 young agro-entrepreneurs and provide business development support services to over 51,000 existing farmers.
Dr. Sanni highlighted the project’s accomplishments over the past five years, noting that more than 26,470 farmers in the six Niger Delta states have already benefited, playing a crucial role in supporting national food systems. He further mentioned that the NDDC has funded the LIFE-ND project in Akwa Ibom, Imo, and Rivers, engaging over 4,000 beneficiaries in these additional states.
The initiative is progressing rapidly, with expectations that over 12,750 direct beneficiaries, including youths and women, will have significantly benefited from the LIFE-ND project in the next two years, thanks to NDDC’s support. Ultimately, the project aims to impact over 110,000 direct beneficiaries across nine Niger Delta states.
The IFAD-LIFE-ND project’s primary goal is to generate job and wealth opportunities for rural youth and women through sustainable agribusiness in the Niger Delta. This initiative is implemented by IFAD in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria and NDDC, focusing on agribusiness activities in value chains such as cocoa, rice, fisheries, cassava, oil palm, plantain, and poultry. The project employs an incubator model to offer training and support to participants.