Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise Project for the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), has recorded some milestones in the implementation of its programmes in Delta state.
The State Project Coordinator of the initiative, Mr Collins Ashoro, disclosed this in Asaba during a media palley to evaluate the implementation of the project in the state.
Mr Ashoro said the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); and the nine Niger Delta states were partners in the project, whose overall objective was to realize a transformed rural economy in which the population could drive prosperity and equal benefit.
The Project Coordinator pointed out that emphasis was on fishery, poultry, oil palm and cassava production, which had taken root in ten communities in each of the ten benefitting local government areas of Bomadi, Burutu, Ethiope East, Ika North East, Ika South, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Okpe, Sapele and Ughelli North,
He stated that though the project was conceptualized in 2017, it became effective in Delta state in September, 2021, with 2,373 beneficiaries made up of youths aged between 18 and 35, women and Persons Living With Disabilities already trained and engaged in the four chosen enterprises.
On the impact of the project in the state, Mr Ashoro said 2,007 metric tonnes of cassava had been produced with a gross income of N179.3m; fish, 213.56 metric tonnes with N209.5 million to show; Poultry, 80.79 metric tonnes with an income of N105.6 million; while 250 metric tonnes of oil palm accounted for N170 million, bringing the total generated income to N666.5 million.
The Project Coordinator identified the challenges of the scheme to include delay in the payment of counterpart funds by participating states and lack of operational vehicles, and appealed to the state government to intervene in paying for 2022 and 2023 in view of the gains of the project to the beneficiaries and the state.
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