The Delta State Government on Wednesday commended the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-supported Livelihood Improvement and Family Enterprises in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project for engaging 630 incubatees under its Additional Financing initiative.
The LIFE-ND project, which recently completed its first six-year cycle, has empowered 4,373 rural youths and women in Delta State through agribusiness initiatives.
The project is jointly sponsored by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), IFAD, and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and is implemented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in collaboration with the state government.
The State Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Sonny Ekedayen, made the commendation in an interview with reporters in Asaba during the orientation ceremony for the 630 incubatees from six local government areas under the first year of the LIFE-ND Additional Financing Project.
Ekedayen emphasized the importance of agriculture as a business, noting that feeding Nigeria’s growing population of over 230 million requires more youths to engage in agricultural production.
“This LIFE-ND project is very important for youths and women. Food security must be taken seriously not only by the state government but as a nation,” he said.
Addressing post-harvest losses and fluctuating crop prices, the commissioner explained that these challenges have long discouraged commercial farming in Nigeria. He expressed optimism that the Federal Government’s plan to establish silos for grain storage will curb post-harvest losses, stabilize prices, and ensure sustainability.
“By storing produce for future use, we guarantee price stability for farmers while making food available and affordable for the public. Most sub-national states will adopt this approach to encourage continued investment in agriculture without fear of losing capital,” he added.
Ekedayen also revealed that the Delta Government is exploring partnerships with private investors to construct agricultural silos in rural agrarian communities.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. Val Arenyeka, represented by Dr. Edmond Orioko, Acting Permanent Secretary, described the LIFE-ND project as a milestone in youth empowerment, agribusiness development, and rural transformation.
“The project aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ vision and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s M.O.R.E. Agenda to empower rural youths and women through agriculture. We celebrate the 630 selected participants who will be trained and mentored in cassava production, oil palm processing, poultry farming, and fish production, along with their respective value chains,” he said.
In his keynote address, the National Project Coordinator, LIFE-ND, Dr. Abiodun Sanni, represented by Miss Empress Ekwelie, National Financial Inclusion Specialist, noted that the project’s initial cycle began in 2019 and ended in March 2025. The additional financing phase will run for three years, from April 2025 to 2028.
“The targeted beneficiaries are youths aged 18 to 35, women-headed households with a first child under 15 years, and individuals already practicing agriculture in their chosen commodity area,” Sanni said.
Mrs. Stella Manureh of the NDDC, a key project partner, reiterated the commission’s commitment to supporting initiatives that empower youths and women in the Niger Delta region.
The State Project Coordinator, LIFE-ND, Mr. Collins Ashoro, explained that the orientation aimed to familiarize incubatees with the project’s objectives, expectations, and implementation processes. The orientation sessions were held at two hubs: Asaba, for participants from Ndokwa West, Ika South, and Ethiope East LGAs, and Ughelli, for those from Bomadi, Ughelli, and Okpe LGAs.
“The first phase of the LIFE-ND Project successfully empowered 4,373 youths and women across 10 LGAs and 100 communities in Delta State, focusing on cassava, poultry, oil palm, and fisheries and their respective value chains,” Ashoro said.
