• As LIFE-ND plans to galvanize 22m Niger Delta youth populace
By Ignatius Chukwu
Akwa Ibom State government seems excited over the reality of the much expected $90m agric fund from the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Project in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND). Information from the state suggests that they expect the coming of the fund to the state as a catalyst to the plans to boost rural development through agricprenuership.
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The $90m (N140bn) being pumped into the Niger Delta agric sector by the Niger Delta Development Commission ($30m or N45Bn) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development ($60m or N93Bn) is said to be aimed at creating a new economy that would cater for 22 million youth populace in the nine states that make up the oil region.
This was disclosed by Mrs Rosemary Ubia, permanent secretary, Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
She spoke at the flag off of the Akwa Ibom State Orientation programme of the NDDC/IFAD/LIFE-ND project where the first batch of the 4,250 agripreneurs are starting their training.
Mrs Ubia said: “By focusing on commodities such as oil palm, fisheries, cassava and poultry, this initiative places Akwa Ibom State in an advantageous position, as we are already a major producer of these key agricultural products.”
She said the programme is additionally designed to benefit rural youth, women-headed households, and persons with disabilities.
She said she was confident that the event would will further amplify the call made by the state governor, Umo Eno, for a renewed focus on farming to boost food sufficiency in Akwa Ibom State through support to farmers in the areas of improved inputs and skill gap training.
Each state of the Niger Delta is bringing 4,250 to the scheme to make it 12,750 in the NDDC and 38,250 overall in all of the nine states of the oil region. These are the foot-soldiers expected to touch the lives of the 22 million youth populace.
The permanent secretary said the first batch of the beneficiaries consists of 350 trainees (incubatees) and 32 incubators, making 382 overall.
Mrs Ubia said she was delighted by the enthusiasm she saw in the participants and commended the state governor for accepting and endorsing the project because it, according to her, aligns with governor’s ‘ARISE’ agenda.
She also said: “The LIFE-ND programme directly supports Nigeria’s Green Alternative Roadmap for Agriculture, as well as the Strategic Framework for Youth empowerment and Job Creation in Nigeria.
In an interview outside the hall, Ubia told newsmen that agric is a major development factor and source of food security policy of the government. She said the LIFE-ND project targets the youths and the vulnerable that must be taken off the street, saying it takes away restiveness.
The NDDC’s $30m contribution is covering the project which is being executed by the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Project in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), in three states (Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo State), while the IFAD’s $60m covers the other six states. The IFAD funs is said to be a soft loan to the Federal Government. The benefiting state governments are said to contribute some quota, too.
Now, it has been disclosed that the core objective of the programme is to create meaningful economic opportunities to improve the livelihoods of approximately 22 million rural youths in the Niger Delta region.
Mrs Ubia said Akwa Ibom has announced oil palm, fishery, cassava and poultry. Cassava, fishery and poultry seem to run through the three states, an indication that the zone may soon become a hub for those three products to form a supply centre to the larger nation and probably for export.
Mr Evong Evong, the Akwa Ibom State director in the NDDC, said the project was aimed at boosting employment in the region. “As part of the mandate of the NDDC, we decided to partner with agencies and institutions for agric development to ensure resources would be committed to helping the youths.
Dr Abiodun Sanni, National Project Coordinator of LIFE-ND, who was represented by the Project’s Agric Business Coordinator, Mrs. Antonia Esenwa, said: “This is the orientation aspect while the beneficiaries would move down to the training proper in smaller units.”
The Coordinator hailed the incubates model saying it is the best approach to deal with the young people. “In other models, they empower the trainees from the onset, but in this one, we train them first then equip them.”
The Akwa Ibom State Project Coordinator, Mr. Solomon Joe, said: “This is a training in entrepreneurship. At the end, their welfare will improve because we will empower them. It’s the incubation model and we will provide the inputs for them to avoid diversion of funds.”
An incubator, Hon. Goodnews Etiutom Ediene, who said he has been a strong force I cassava processing, palm oil, and poultry processing for a long time, told newsmen that on hearing about the programme, he indicated interest because it’s a laudable one.
“For the partners to come together is great. Government cannot employ everybody. It’s entrepreneurs that will push Nigeria up.”
Another incubator, Okpongette Friday Akpan, the CEO of Signature Agro & Allied Services Ltd in Essien Udim LGA
Ukana Nsasak community, said he will be training 20 persons in agricpreneurship. He was excited at the prospect of taking 20 youths off the streets. “We are going to have support to expand the farm and have more products.”
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