IFAD provides $60m to improve food security, job creation for youths
By Joy Obakeye
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has provided $ 60 million in support out of the total project cost of $97.8 million for the implementation f the Livelihood Empowerment Family Enterprise Project in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) region.
Participating states include Abia, Cross River, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Ondo.
The six-year project also funded by the Federal Government is aimed at enhancing income, food security and job creation for rural youths and women through agri-enterprise development on a sustainable basis in the Niger Delta region.
Speaking at the launch of the mid-term review mission of the project Abuja, the Country Director IFAD Nigeria, Mrs Dede Ekoue, said the project supported by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has reached about 14,500 within three years of implementation.
At a mid-term, she said the project has made significant progress including reaching bout 14,155 smallholder farmers as against a target of 25,500 farmers representing 55.5 per cent.
She added that the project has engaged 792 mature businesses to create and coach 6,035 new enterprises which represents gainful employment for women and youths.
To boost the achievement of nutrition goal, she said a total of 2500 community women and youths have been trained on the use and cultivation of bio-fortified planting materials – Provitamin A cassava, brown rice, fruits, orange-fleshed sweet potato and vegetable homestead establishment in over 35 schools and 150 incubation centre to improve nutrition and income generation.
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The Director Project Coordinating Unit Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Musa Bukar, assured of the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring full implementation of the project.
Bukar, who expressed hope that e 2 of the project will commence by the next year 2024, added that the review will further assess and make recommendations in line with the project design for Phase 2 and Phase 1.
“It is also pertinent for the Mid-Term review to look into the possibility of IFAD funding the three excluded states of Imo, Rivers and Akwa Ibom state directly from the IFAD funds”, Bukar said.
