The joint International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Federal Government has commended the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Project in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) for youths and women empowerment.
Reports indicated that LIFE-ND project funded by IFAD is aimed at enhancing income, food security and job creation for rural youths from the age of 18 to 35.
The project is also targeted at women who are heads of household with children below 15 years through the incubation model in Niger Delta states and others.
The states are Abia, Bayelsa, Edo, Delta, Ondo, Cross River, Imo, Akwa Ibom and Rivers.
Mr Patrick Habamenshi, IFAD Nigeria Country Programme Manager, gave the commendation when the team inspected incubation centres across different communities in Delta, Bayelsa and Ondo states where youths were trained on different agricultural enterprises.
Habamenshi was quoted to have given the commendation in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
He said the project was designed to address the challenges of youth restiveness and other social vices in the Niger Delta region.
The programme manager said he was impressed with the performance of the incubate and the way the agricultural potential of the youths in the communities were being harnessed by the project.
Habamenshi said, “We are very pleased with everything we are seeing at the incubation centres.
“When the Federal Government initiated the project with the Niger Delta Development Commission, they were looking at finding activities for young people who might otherwise involve themselves in trouble.
“The project is pulling young people into agricultural farming activities and considering what we are seeing on ground, it is very encouraging.
“They are demonstrating and practicing what they learnt which gives us confidence that they can stand on their own when they graduate and pull other young people into agriculture.”
