By Jubril Bada

The Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project, a collaboration between the Federal Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), launched the LIFE-ND Agribusiness Innovative Forum (LAbIF) in Ondo State on Monday.

While launching LAbIF, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, High Chief Olayato Aribo, described the platform as one of the laudable innovations created by IFAD and the Federal Government under the LIFE-ND programme. Its purpose is to promote linkages between project beneficiaries, smallholder farmers, and off-takers, based on their chosen enterprises.

He explained that the forum aims to bring the market closer to smallholder farmers, establish strong relationships between producers and off-takers, and reduce or eradicate seasonal gluts of agricultural produce and products.

Aribo added that the forum empowers beneficiaries and smallholder farmers in making decisions regarding the sale of their produce and products.

According to him, the FGN/IFAD/LIFE-ND project directly supports Nigeria’s agricultural policy and the strategic framework for youth empowerment, engagement, and job creation.

He noted that a total of 4,563 LIFE-ND beneficiaries have been trained in four major agribusiness enterprises, including cocoa, cassava, fishery, and poultry. He added that about 2,445 of these beneficiaries have been empowered, while the process to empower the remaining 2,118 trained beneficiaries is ongoing.

In his remarks, the National Project Coordinator of LIFE-ND, Dr Abiodun Sanni, said the project’s focus is to enhance income, food security, and job creation for rural youths and women through agricultural development and agribusiness enterprises on a sustainable basis in the Niger Delta.

To ensure the sustainability of the livelihood project, Sanni explained that platforms like LAbIF were established and aligned with the Federal Government’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” encapsulated in the food system transformation adopted by Nigerians.

Represented by the National Marketing Enterprises Development Specialist of the LIFE-ND project, Mr Yinka Amosun, Sanni said LAbIF is also a direct implementation response to the Federal Government’s focus on innovative financing in the agricultural sector.

“It is also designed to establish a platform for knowledge sharing and innovative ideas on best practices among LIFE-ND beneficiaries and other farmers both within and outside the state,” he noted.

Addressing the participants, the State Project Coordinator, Prince Ademola Olawale, explained that IFAD, in collaboration with the Federal Government and the Ondo State Government, developed the initiative to support youths across the nine oil-producing states in the country.

He stressed that LAbIF was created to ensure the sustainability of youths engaged in various enterprises.

Giving an overview of LAbIF, the State Rural Institute Gender and Youth Officer, Mrs Bolanle Akinyede, said it promotes trust among stakeholders in each value chain supported and promoted by LIFE-ND.

Speaking with journalists, beneficiaries of the programme, Mrs Ayotola Akinkoye and Mr Olumide Otti, expressed satisfaction with the impact of the LIFE-ND programme, stating that it has helped them become self-reliant and employers of labour.

The programme featured various presentations of papers on LAbIF by stakeholders.