KEY POINTS
- IFAD LIFE ND says its interventions have contributed $68.7 million to Nigeria’s economy.
- The project says 23,751 jobs have been created for women and young people.
- Beneficiaries have contributed 130,744 metric tonnes to food security.
- The programme focuses on seven agricultural commodities across nine Niger Delta states.
MAIN STORY
The Federal Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) LIFE ND project says its interventions have generated $68.7 million, about N90.7 billion, in economic value for Nigeria.
National Project Coordinator of IFAD LIFE ND, Dr Abiodun Sanni, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at the project’s sixth Joint Supervision Mission.
Sanni said the programme, which operates across nine Niger Delta states, had created 23,751 jobs for women and young people, comprising 12,526 women and 11,225 men.
He said income earned by the beneficiaries had contributed about $60.68 million, equivalent to N38.23 billion, to the national economy.
The project coordinator said its activities had also contributed 130,744 metric tonnes to food security, with interventions focused on cassava, rice, plantain, cocoa, fisheries, oil palm and poultry.
The IFAD supported component covers Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Ondo, while the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) funds implementation in Akwa Ibom, Imo and Rivers.
Sanni said 38,250 youth and women led agri businesses had been created or strengthened under the first phase of the programme.
He added that 13,050 additional young people and women were being targeted for direct participation through the regular incubation process, while another 51,775 beneficiaries were expected to receive business development support.
According to him, 30,600 beneficiaries, representing 80 per cent of those directly reached, had recorded a 50 per cent improvement in their food security.
Sanni said the programme was designed to strengthen the rural economy by helping women and young people build sustainable agribusinesses that generate income, employment and food.
Earlier, Dr Ehimhen Eigbe, Director of Agriculture and Fisheries at the NDDC, said the supervision mission would help stakeholders assess the programme’s progress, identify implementation gaps and agree on measures to consolidate its gains.
Eigbe described the project as an investment in the people and productive capacity of the Niger Delta, particularly through enterprise development and stronger agricultural value chains.
THE ISSUES
- The reported economic contribution highlights the potential of targeted agricultural interventions to generate income beyond farm production by supporting businesses and employment within rural value chains.
- Youth and women remain central to the programme’s employment strategy, with the project combining direct enterprise support, incubation and business development assistance rather than focusing only on agricultural production.
- Food security remains a key measure of the programme’s impact. The reported increase among 80 per cent of direct beneficiaries indicates that the project is linking income generation with household access to food.
- The programme covers nine states with different agricultural economies, making coordination among IFAD, the Federal Government and NDDC important for maintaining consistent implementation.
- Sustaining the reported gains will depend on whether beneficiaries can continue operating viable businesses and whether the agricultural value chains receive the infrastructure, market access and enterprise support required for long term growth.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“Income of N38.23 billion, approximately $60.68 million, earned by youth and women beneficiaries has contributed to the national economy.” – Abiodun Sanni, National Project Coordinator, IFAD LIFE ND
“LIFE-ND was conceived to transform rural livelihoods by creating sustainable jobs, developing entrepreneurs, strengthening value chains, increasing household income and promoting inclusive and climate-resilient agricultural enterprises in the Niger Delta.” – Ehimhen Eigbe, Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, NDDC
WHAT’S NEXT
The sixth Joint Supervision Mission is expected to review implementation, identify gaps and agree on measures for consolidating the programme’s gains. The project will also continue its incubation and business development support for additional youth and women beneficiaries.
BOTTOM LINE
IFAD LIFE ND says its interventions have generated significant income, employment and food security gains across the Niger Delta. The next challenge is sustaining those gains as more beneficiaries enter the programme and build agricultural enterprises.
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