Our relationship with IFAD/LIFE-ND rewarding – Bayelsa Govt.
The Bayelsa Government says its partnership with the International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD) funded Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise Project for Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) has been rewarding.
He said the LIFE-ND project was meant to boost food security in Bayelsa.
Sese spoke on Thursday, in Yenagoa, during the distribution of inputs and empowerment funds to 685 beneficiaries under the Additional Financing 2026 batch of the LIFE-ND project.
He urged the beneficiaries to utilise the funds for the sole purpose they were meant.
He warned them to resist the temptation to divert or misuse the funds and inputs, “but put it to judicious use”.
He reaffirmed the strong and cordial working relationship between the LIFE- ND project and the state Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Sese said that it was clear that LIFE-ND had a strong role to play towards achieving the agricultural mandate of Gov. Douye Diri.
“Let me use this opportunity to reaffirm the very strong cordial working relationship between the LIFE- ND project in Bayelsa.
“The state Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, with this relationship, is geared towards boosting agricultural transformation, youth development and food security in the state,” he said.
Sese disclosed that LIFE- ND would be distributing critical farm tools and inputs, including smoking kilns, poultry equipment, juveniles and improved cassava stems to the beneficiaries to ease the burden of production.
“You are the latest beneficiaries of this project, I want to urge each and everyone of you to embrace this opportunity before you with utmost seriousness.
“In case you don’t know, there were many who wanted this opportunity, but you were selected,” he said.
He urged the beneficiaries to be disciplined and ensure that the small starter packs that would be given to them were used judiciously.
“You are expected to multiply them in no distant time and I believe that you will not fail us,” the commissioner said.
In a speech, the National Project Coordinator of LIFE-ND Project, Mr Sanni Abiodun, said the graduation and official launch marked a significant milestone in the shared commitment to transforming livelihood.
Abiodun, represented by Mrs Stella Manureh, the Niger Delta Development Commission representative in LIFE-ND Project, said the project was creating jobs and building sustainable wealth and agro-business across the Niger Delta region.
He said: “LIFE-ND project was conceived as a strategic intervention to address youth unemployment, enhance food security and promote agro-business and development.
“Through the initiative, thousands of young entrepreneurs have been trained, mentored and equiped with skills and resources required to succeed across key agricultural value chain,” he said.
The Bayelsa LIFE -ND Project Coordinator, Mr Kester Amos, said the LIFE-ND incubator/incubatee model adopted by the project to promote agriculture was meant to build capacity and encourage the young Nigerian to be involved in agriculture.
Amos commended Bayelsa governor for his interest, passion and drive in agriculture, saying that LIFE-ND had received tremendous support from the State Government.
He said: “LIFE-ND in Bayelsa is committed to ensuring that the objectives of the project are achieved.
“We are exploring more areas of collaboration with the ministry of agriculture and natural resources, and they have donated two hectares of land to LIFE-ND to build Green Houses for vegetables and a feed mill,” he stated.