The Federal Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have advised 630 newly selected beneficiaries of the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project in Cross River State not to see their inclusion as a share of the “national cake,” but as a life-changing opportunity for agribusiness development and youth empowerment.
National Project Coordinator of LIFE-ND, Dr. Sani Abiodun, gave the advice in Calabar during a one-day orientation program for the new beneficiaries under the FGN/NDDC/IFAD-assisted LIFE-ND additional financing scheme. Represented by Dr. Chinwe Onyegbula, Liaison Officer of the FGN/IFAD Country Programme Advisory Team, Abuja, Abiodun urged participants to be disciplined and committed in their approach to agribusiness.
“We want you to see agriculture as a business, not subsistence farming. Produce to sell, improve productivity, and grow your local economy,” he said. Abiodun stressed that success in agribusiness requires patience, consistency, and time, adding that the project’s goal is to build a generation of entrepreneurs who will contribute to food security and economic growth.
The LIFE-ND initiative, a collaboration between IFAD, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, has been operational for six years in Cross River State. It has so far empowered over 4,370 rural youths and women through training, mentorship, and agribusiness funding. With new financial support, the project will continue until 2028, focusing on agricultural productivity, job creation, and rural development.
Declaring the session open, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Mr. Johnson Ebokpo, encouraged the beneficiaries to drop the perception of agriculture as “a dirty job,” describing it instead as a profitable and modern enterprise. He compared the LIFE-ND model to the Igbo apprenticeship system, where learners gain skills through mentorship before becoming business owners.
Ebokpo announced a ₦500,000 prize for the best-performing participant to motivate commitment and excellence. “Your success stories will become a beacon for other Niger Delta states. Let us make Cross River the best-performing state,” he said.
State Project Coordinator, Mr. Innocent Ogbin, explained that the new phase, known as the Additional Financing Component, targets youths, women, and persons with disabilities in Biase, Akpabuyo, Yakurr, Obubra, Ogoja, and Yala local government areas. He warned the participants against selling farm inputs or abandoning their projects, stressing that the government will not tolerate misuse of project resources.
Programme Manager of the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), Mr. Bassey Emogor, described LIFE-ND as “an apolitical initiative focused on empowering real farmers.” He urged the participants to take the opportunity seriously, saying, “This project is not about giving millions in cash, it’s about giving you knowledge, tools, and opportunities to grow, use them wisely.”