The Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development Programme (IFAD)-Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) has commended Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo over the payment of N147 million counterpart funds by the state.
Mr Sanni Abiodun, LIFE-ND National Project Coordinator, gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
Abiodun said Obaseki was the first governor to pay the counterpart fund up to date among the six participating states of the project.
The national project coordinator said the counterpart fund was meant for year 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively.
He urged other participating states of Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta and Ondo to emulate Edo.
According to him, LIFE-ND directly supports Nigeria’s agricultural policy and the strategic framework for youth employment and job creation.
On his part, Mr John Omoruyi, Edo State Project Coordinator, explained that the payment of N147 million counterpart funds would enable the project to access funds for the ongoing transformation of rural economy through agribusiness in the state.
Omoruyi said that the feat by the Obaseki’s administration would not only contribute to economic growth but also enhance food security, reduce poverty and empower rural communities in the state.
“So far, the state through the project, has created jobs for 2,348 women and youth enterprises out of the targeted 4,250 across the 10 participating Local Government Areas and 100 communities across the state
“The release of this counterpart fund will further create employment for over 2,500 women and youths targeted for 2024, while also boosting agricultural productivity and value addition across four commodities’ of rice, cassava, poultry and fishery value chains.’’
He said that through the LIFE-ND project, the governor had further supported the state government to promote food security and job creation for women and youths across the state.
“Obaseki has done well to restate his commitment to sustainable development of the agricultural sector by promoting modern farming techniques, supporting smallholders farmers, encouraging value addition and fostering agribusiness innovations, ” he said.
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NAN reports that LIFE-ND is the Federal Government and IFAD project in response to the limited readily available options for disadvantaged youths and women in the rural and suburban communities to improve their means of livelihood and live decent lives.
The project promotes community-based on-farm and off-farm business activities along key agricultural value chain as a mechanism for job creation among unemployed and underemployed youths and women headed households. (NAN)
