Three hundred and sixty- four young farmers have commenced training in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, under the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) programme, sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Under the programme, a total of 38, 250 young farmers would be trained and equipped to become agribusiness entrepreneurs.
Speaking during the orientation training for 350 incubates and 14 incubators in Port Harcourt on Thursday, the NDDC Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Winifred Madume, tasked the beneficiaries to take the training seriously in order to emerge as future agribusiness entrepreneurs.
Madume said that the federal government jointly funded the LIFE-ND project through a loan from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), with additional support from the NDDC and counterpart funds from the participating state governments.
She stated that the nine participating states Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Edo, Delta, Ondo were being funded with IFAD, while Akwa-Ibom, Imo, and Rivers States were being funded by NDDC, with the project’s headquarters located in Rivers State.
The director said 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.
Madume further noted that the 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.” she explained.
Also speaking, the National Project Coordinator, Life-ND, Abiodun Sanni pointed out that the orientation training supported by the IFAD, the NDDC and the respective state governments underscored the collective commitment to transforming the agricultural sector in the region.
Read also: PANDEF commends NDDC’s commitment to development in Niger Delta
Abiodun said the training is 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.
“Fostering youth inclusion in agriculture is vital for ensuring sustainable development, job creation, and food security in Nigeria.
“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,” he stated.
He added that the LIFE-ND project is more than just providing resources, but is also about empowering the youth to take ownership of their future, foster community development, and create lasting impact in their respective regions.
Rivers State Project Coordinator of the programme, Mr. Loveday Itatat, congratulated the 364 successful beneficiaries who he said were selected from a competitive pool of 30 incubators and 1, 568 incubator applicants.
