The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has commenced the training of 364 young farmers for the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise Niger Delta project in Rivers State.
Speaking during the orientation training for 350 trainees and 14 incubators in Port Harcourt, the NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Winifred Madume, charged the beneficiaries to take up the challenge as future agribusiness entrepreneurs.
She disclosed that the Federal Government jointly funded the LIFE-ND project through a loan from the International Fund for Agricultural Development, with additional support from NDDC and counterpart funds from the participating state governments.
“The nine participating states are Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Edo, Delta, Ondo (funded with IFAD), and Akwa-Ibom, Imo, and Rivers states (funded by NDDC)”.
She continued that “The main objective of LIFE-ND is to foster income generation, food security, and job creation for rural youth and women through sustainable agribusiness development across the Niger Delta.
“This project aims to create 38,250 Agripreneurs using an incubation model. This model pairs you with experienced agribusiness entrepreneurs who will mentor you until you have the knowledge and skills to establish and run your successful enterprises”.
On his part, the National Project Coordinator, Life-ND, Abiodun Sanni, said the Orientation Training supported by the IFAD, the NDDC, and the respective state governments underscored the collective commitment to transforming the agricultural sector.
Sanni stated that the training was crucial to equipping the youth, women-headed households, and persons with disabilities with the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to thrive in the agricultural sector.
He noted that fostering youth inclusion in agriculture is vital for ensuring sustainable development, job creation, and food security in Nigeria.
Sanni added, “Through this training, we aim to build the capacity of young agripreneurs, enabling them to actively participate in the agricultural value chain, drive innovation, and contribute to the economic growth of rural communities.
“The LIFE-ND project is more than just providing resources; it is about empowering our youth to take ownership of their future, foster community development, and create lasting impact in their respective regions”.
The Rivers State Project Coordinator, Mr Loveday Itatat, congratulated the 364 successful beneficiaries selected from a competitive pool of 30 incubators and 1,568 incubator applicants.
Itatat said, “Before this orientation training, a comprehensive sensitization exercise on the LIFE-ND project was conducted late last year in 20 communities across five Local Government Areas in Rivers State”.
He noted that the project aims to transform the rural economy, ensuring prosperity and equitable benefits for the local population.
“It seeks to enhance income, food security, and job creation for over 38,250 poor rural youth and women in the Niger Delta region through a sustainable agricultural incubation model”, he added.