The Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), on Monday, inducted 630 new Life-ND incubatees in Cross River, charging them to improve productivity and grow local economy.
Dr Sani Abiodun, National Project Coordinator (NPC) of the (LIFE-ND) disclosed this during a one day orientation session for incubatees in Calabar.
Represented by Dr Chinwe Onyegbula, Liaison Officer of FGN/IFAD Country Programme Advisory Team, Abuja, the national cordinator urged the new incubatees not to see their selection as national cake.
He charged the incubatees to be committed and disciplined if they must succeed, and that they should see their selection as life-changing opportunity.
He reminded them that success in agribusiness took time, patience, and consistency in developing sustainable enterprises as every business has an incubation period.
“We want you to see agriculture as a business, not subsistence farming; produce to sell, improve productivity, and grow your local economy,” he added
Simirlarly, Mr Johnson Ebokpo, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, charged the incubatees to change their perception of agriculture as a dirty job and embrace it as profitable.
Ebokpo, who declared the orientation opened, likened the Life-ND incubation model to the Igbo apprenticeship system, where learners eventually become business owners through mentorship and practical experience.
He announced a ₦500,000 prize for the best-performing incubatee to promote excellence and motivate participants toward outstanding agribusiness performance.
“Your success stories will become a beacon for other Niger Delta states; let us make Cross River the best-performing state,” the commissioner declared.
On his part, Mr Innocent Ogbin, State Project Coordinator, (SPC) of the LIFE-ND, noted that over 4,370 beneficiaries had been previously empowered under the Life-ND project since its inception.
Ogbin stated that the new phase, known as the ‘’Additional Financing Component,’’ would run until 2028.
The SPC listed the targeted groups under the project to include youths, women, and persons with disabilities.
According to him, the project is being organised across six local government areas of Biase, Akpabuyo, Yakurr, Obubura, Ogoja and Yala in Cross River.
“The success of this programme depends on your dedication and passion. You are working for yourselves and your communities,” he said.
He warned participants against selling inputs or abandoning farms after empowerment, stressing that the government would not tolerate misuse of project resources and opportunities.
Mr Bassey Emogor, Programme Manager of Agriculture Development Programme (ADP), described Life-ND as an exceptional project.
He emphasised that it had been apolitical and focused on empowering real farmers across rural communities.
He told the incubatees to count themselves lucky and follow the Life-ND model diligently in order to not only feed their families but become employers of labour,
“This project is not about giving millions in cash; it’s about giving you knowledge, tools, and opportunities to grow; use them wisely,” he said.
The LIFE‑ND project, is a joint initiative of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
The initiative, which has run for six years in Cross River and empowered 4,370 rural youths and women, concluded in 2025 but received additional funding to continue until 2028.
