IFAD Releases $60m to Support Niger Delta Smallholder Farmers

The Country Director, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Dede Ekuoe, announced that $60 million out of the total project cost of $97.8 million has been released for the implementation of the jointly-funded Federal Government Livelihood Empowerment Family Enterprise Project, in the Niger Delta.

The six-year project supported by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has reached about 14,500 smallholder farmers across Delta, Edo, Abia, Cross River, Bayelsa and Ondo states within three years of implementation.

Speaking at the official launch, of the mid-term review mission of the project in Abuja, the Country Director, said NDDC is to contribute $30 million while federal and state governments would contribute $0.57 million and $4.88 respectively, but unfortunately, the NDDC is yet to contribute its quota to kick-start the project in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Imo state, Nigeria.

According to her, the project has made significant progress, including reaching about 14,155 smallholder farmers as against the targeted 25,500 farmers. That puts the progress at 55.5 per cent.

She said the project has engaged 792 mature businesses to create and coach 6,035 new enterprises, generating gainful employment for women and youths.

Ekoue added: “To boost the achievement of a nutritional goal, a total of 2,500 community women and youths have been trained on the use and cultivation of bio-fortified planting materials – Provitamin A cassava, brown rice, fruits, orange-fleshed sweet potato and vegetable homestead establishment in over 35 schools and 150 incubation centres to improve nutrition and income generation.”

On his part, the Director, Project Coordinating Unit in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Musa Bujar, commended IFAD on the implementation of the project in six oil-producing states, urging them to also accommodate the remaining states.

He further assured of the ministry’s commitment to ensuring full implementation of the project.

Agro Nigeria / Foluke Ibitomi