Declaring the training open for participants from Edo South Senatorial District, Mr John Omoruyi, Edo State Coordinator of LIFE-ND (represented by State Agribusiness Promotion Officer, Mrs Grace Iredia), said the initiative is designed to upscale beneficiaries’ enterprises to meet global certification and export requirements.
He explained that the training is part of a broader human capacity development programme targeting all 655 beneficiaries across the state.
“This programme aims to support and build the business capacity of our beneficiaries. LIFE-ND has trained entrepreneurs from 2021 to 2025, but we now need them to upscale their operations to meet export standards and certification requirements,” Omoruyi said.
The training focuses on measurement standards, product standardization, packaging, and branding to help participants transition from local to international markets.
Officials from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) were invited to guide beneficiaries on certification procedures, regulatory compliance, and export requirements.
Omoruyi revealed that 60 incubatees would benefit in the first phase, with 20 participants selected from each of the three senatorial districts.
“Edo South participants are being trained in cassava, fish, and poultry value chains; Edo Central will focus on cassava and poultry; and Edo North on cassava, poultry, and rice,” he said.
He added that the training would be replicated in the remaining districts.
The programme, according to Omoruyi, is expected to improve beneficiaries’ livelihoods, increase their income, and enhance the competitiveness of Made-in-Edo products.
“With the knowledge gained, participants should be able to package rice, frozen birds, and processed fish to meet export standards,” he noted.
He disclosed that 4,337 people had already benefited from earlier phases of the programme, with an additional 665 entrepreneurs supported under the current financial cycle.
“Edo State is the first among the six supported states to implement this activity, and we expect others to follow suit,” Omoruyi added.
Officials from NAFDAC and SON facilitated sessions on regulatory compliance, certification processes, and product standardization to ensure participants meet both national and international quality benchmarks.
