250 women and young graduates from the FG LIFE-ND agricultural intervention project in Edo

As many as 250 women and youth incubated on Thursday graduated from the Federal Government's Agribusiness Livelihood Improvement Program in the Niger-Delta Family Enterprise (LIFE-ND) in Edo State

Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Benin, National Coordinator Mr. Sanni Abiodun said the project was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari's vision for national food security, particularly in the Niger delta.

The LIFE-ND project in Edo was funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Federal Government, the NDDC and the Edo State Government.

Abiodun was represented by Mrs. Stella Manureh, the representative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on the project.

He said the federal government was promoting agriculture as an alternative source of foreign exchange earnings, especially as oil revenues dwindled.

He noted that the project was implemented in nine Niger Delta states, namely Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers.

“In each state, the project is designed to operate in 10 local government areas and 10 communities in each LGA.

“Bringing the total number of participating local governments to 90 and participating communities to 900.

"The project is aimed at unemployed youth aged 18-35 as well as female-headed households with children under 15 willing to engage in production, processing and marketing.

"The incubates are engaged in four selected products of rice, cassava, fish and poultry in Edo.

“Today, the project is training 250 incubates from the first and second batches of incubates who have gone through the incubation process,” he said.

State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security Stephen Idehenre in his goodwill message congratulated the graduates.

Idehenre said Governor Godwin Obaseki was passionate about the project, adding that the governor also carried out various agricultural programs aimed at reducing unemployment and ensuring food security.

In his welcoming remarks, State Coordinator, LIFE-ND Jude Ekpu said the project is being implemented in 10 local governments and 100 communities in the state.

Ekpu explained that so far the project has engaged, trained and empowered beneficiaries in 50 communities through the incubation model.

“The model focuses on the mentoring strategy whereby potential youth and women who are incubated are attached to successful agribusinesses operating in the selected local government areas.

"Building business skills and knowledge through training and mentoring for a specific period.

According to him, the project actually started in Edo in July 2017 and has been going on ever since with the resulting achievements.

Ekpu added that incubatees receive monthly stipends to cushion their transportation to training centers.

Mr. Mavis Edogiawerie, an incubatee graduate of Uteh Community Fishing Enterprise on behalf of other graduates, thanked the federal government for the opportunity.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of a cash prize to the best graduate incubatees.

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