State governments under the Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development-Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in Niger Delta (IFAD-LIFE-ND) have pledged to pay up their counterpart funding to scale up implementation of the project.
The states –Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta and Ondo– made the commitment at the Wrap-up supervision mission of the FG/IFAD-LIFE-ND project on Friday in Abuja.
Prof Beke Sese, Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bayelsa, said the project, which put smiles on people’s faces, deserved the right to continue.
According to him, the programme is giving the people fishing net; thereby making people self-sufficient and able to provide food for their families.
“The state government is fully committed to ensure that our part contribution to this programme is followed to the later,” he said.
Johnson Ebokpo, Commissioner for Agriculture, Cross River, said the project had been impactful in the lives of women household and youth in the state.
Ebokpo described IFAD-LIFE-ND as a complete social and financial inclusion programme structure from the farm gate, capacity building, infrastructural development and market access..
He said that the structure of the project was geared towards enhancing productivity of farmers through the adoption of incubator-incubatee model.
“There is need to develop institutional framework to continue this model so that when LIFE-ND project ends, it does not end with the project like we have seen in other projects
“I have secured approval for the payment of counterpart funding having convinced that this project is very impactful.
“I always have negative perception on some of these donor funded projects because over the years we have not seen productivity increased but IFAD-LIFE-ND project has been impactful in the lives of the masses,’’ he said.
Mr Samuel Oligida, Delta State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, urged the project coordinating team to prioritise riverine areas.
Oligida said that poverty was more endemic in riverine areas, adding that in chasing out poverty, concentration should be more on those areas.
Ondo State Commissioner for Agriculture, Olayato Aribo, commended IFAD for incorporating the state in the project adding that LIFE-ND had closed generational gap between aged farmers and youths.
“l am particularly happy on behalf of my governor with this project because is trying to close generational gap between our aged farmers and our youth.
“Since inception of the project more youth and women are interested in agriculture.
“We will continue to support the project not only in payment of counterpart funding but for the project team for effective implementation and ensure sustainability,” he said.
Prof. Monica Ironkwe, Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture, congratulated IFAD-LIFE-ND team on the successes recorded so far.
Ironkwe said the goal of the project was in line with the state governor’s agenda surrounding food security, youth and women participation at higher level.
She assured of the state government’s support to ensure that the project benefitted targeted beneficiaries maximally.
Dr Peter Osagie, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Edo, expressed satisfaction with LIFE-ND project implementation in Edo.
Osagie emphasised the commitment of Gov. Godwin Obaseki to the project, adding that the state had consistently met its financial obligations by ensuring the payment of N147 million counterpart funds for 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
“The financial commitment position the state as leader in the project’s implementation and l encourage the engagement of more beneficiaries and plans for its expansion and coverage in 2025,’’ he said.
Dr Abiodun Sanni, National Project Coordinator, LIFE-ND, said based on design, the Federal Government was expected to contribute a total of 3.06 million dollars while the six beneficiary states were expected to pay 816, 677 million dollars each.
By Felicia Imohimi
