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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Nigeria cannot achieve its dreamed food sovereignty without harnessing the potential of its youth in full capacity, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has declared.
The Country Director, IFAD, Dede Ekoue, made the declaration in Benin while speaking at the 5th Supervision Mission of Federal Government, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and IFAD—Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises—Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) Project.
He explained that LIFE-ND is aimed at empowering youth and women with practical skills in agric business in the Niger Delta region, adding that to achieve this, the programme adopted a model where all trainees pass through incubation.
Ekoue disclosed that IFAD invested over $30m in the first phase of the LIFE-ND project with over 26,000 beneficiaries, saying: “LIFE-ND is a unique programme to us at IFAD. We are committed to empowering youth in the agric business and to generate jobs.
“We are talking about agric food system transformation; it is a key topic on the global platform. And food sovereignty cannot be achieved without fully harnessing the potentials of the youth in agric. Youth has the largest population. So, LIFE-ND is aimed at empowering youth with practical skills using a model of business incubation. By the time they go through the incubation process, they come out as business owners. They are able to set up an agric business.
“And we have a good story in terms of linking these agric business owners to the market. So, income generation and sales are not issues to them.
“Creating jobs for youths is the key to enabling growth; it is the key to peace; it is the key to development; it is the key to business growth.”
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The Country Director, while speaking on women empowerment, said: “LIFE-ND also emphasises on women. Women are key to food production; they are key to food transformation; they are key to food sovereignty; they are key to proper nutrition. This is what LIFE-ND is delivering.”
She expressed satisfaction at the 4th supervision of the project, explaining that it was carried out by an independent team to “access progresses, identify the challenges and opportunities for improvement, and to develop some recommendations for further enhancing.”
Ekoue stated the outcome of the exercise would give a cue either to continue with the project or discontinue.
Also speaking, National Coordinator, LIFE-ND, Dr. Abiodun Sanni, said the first phase of the programme, which covered six states—Ondo, Edo, Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River and Delta—had 26,470 beneficiaries including young agro entrepreneurs, youths, women, and persons with disability along different commodities for value chain.
Expressing his commitment to actualising the transformative agenda of the project, which he said aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Sanni disclosed that 4,380 beneficiaries are currently being enlisted in this ongoing phase, adding: “We are going to add more beneficiaries as more funds come from our sponsors.”
In her remark, representative of the NDDC, Stella Manureh, said the LIFE-ND project “is our shared commitment to improving lives of the Niger Delta people through food security. IFAD, your continued investment in agriculture has improved the livelihood of the people.
“It enforces our collective responsibility for transparency and accountability.”
