By Nefishetu Yakubu
The Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) programme has empowered 82 women and youths with seed capital in Edo.
The state’s Project Coordinator, Mr Jude Ekpu, stated on Friday in Benin that the beneficiaries spent months of tutelage as apprentices in established businesses to qualify for the empowerment.
He added that they learnt modern practices in their chosen agricultural commodity such as cassava, rice, poultry and fishery.
He explained that some of the 125 such apprentices had moved from apprenticeship to mentorship phase.
“It is out of this number that 82 women and youths have been supported with working capital to start their own businesses still under the supervision of the established businesses.
“These 82 women and youths are into poultry production and have begun to sell broilers.
“They have begun to put their acquired knowledge into practice having been trained at their respective incubation centres,’’ Ekpu stated.
The project had so far trained 250 youths and women and engaged 50 established businesses over the last eight months, the project coordinator added.
The LIFE-ND project in Edo is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the federal and Edo governments. (NAN)
