The Federal Government has trained 1,180 farmers in Ondo State in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development and a non-governmental organization called Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Niger Delta.
The initiative, known as IFAD/LIFE-ND, was reportedly created to complement Nigeria’s agricultural strategy as well as the strategic framework for youth development and job creation.
Ondo State Coordinator of the IFAD/LIFE-ND project, Mr. Adewale Ademola, said the initiative took place in 10 local government areas of the state, with youths and women as the beneficiaries, during a media round table held in Akure, the state capital, on Friday.
According to the state coordinator, who was represented by the project’s State Rural Institution Gender and Unit Officer, Mrs. Bola Ajibade, the beneficiaries were women and young people from rural regions in the 10 local governments.
He claims that the project was carried out in the local governments of Owo, Akoko South-West, Akoko North-West, Akure North, and Idanre.
Other local government areas include Ondo East, Irele, Ilaje, Ese-Odo, and Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo. Each of the council districts, according to him, had ten settlements where the idea was implemented.
According to him, the 920 beneficiaries farmers have duly completed their legal agreement between them and the project.
He said, “We have trained and empowered 260 youths and women on agricultural products such as livestock, aquaculture and crops productions.
“Presently, 920 beneficiaries have enrolled with the project and they have been trained. Very soon they will move out from the IFAD centre to be empowered by the project.
“So, if you add the previous 260 beneficiaries with the new beneficiaries of 920, it shows that a total of 1,180 youths and women that have benefited from the IFAD/ LIFE-ND Project in Ondo state this year.
“This is the major achievement that we have recorded as far as employment of beneficiaries in Ondo State 2022. So, the IFAD/ LIFE-ND is not only about youths empowerment but also to improve food security in the society, increase income generation and economy diversification, among others.”
While some of the empowered incubatees (also known as trainees) have launched successful enterprises, Ademola pointed out that the project team in the state continues to conduct monitoring visits to their project sites.
