By Christian Njoku
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – The Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) has generated over N5 billion in Cross River in six years, the State Coordinator, Innocent Ogbin, has said.
Ogbin disclosed this on Friday in Calabar during a media round table to intimate the public on the performance of the project.
The Coordinator said the agribusiness-driven programme targets youths, women, and vulnerable groups, boosting livelihoods through sustainable enterprise development in rural communities.
He noted that Cross River began implementing the project in 2025 under additional financing after completing its initial six-year phase.
According to him, the initiative leverages the state’s agrarian potential to tackle unemployment through structured agribusiness value chains.
He said cassava, rice, fish, and poultry value chains form the programme’s core, covering production, processing, and marketing.
“Cassava production yielded about 6,900 metric tonnes, generating over N552 million for beneficiaries; rice production recorded 7,289 metric tonnes valued at N2.3 billion, while fish production generated over N1.2 billion.
“The total output exceeded 20,000 metric tonnes, with cumulative income surpassing N5.5 billion.
“The programme created 4,370 jobs, including for women, persons with disabilities, and female-headed households, meanwhile an additional 3,626 jobs were projected under the ongoing additional financing phase.”
He explained that the project adopts an incubation model, pairing experienced agripreneurs with trainees, with 630 beneficiaries trained and awaiting enterprise take-off.
He noted that 2,996 agribusiness operators were identified under business development services to enhance financial literacy, planning, and market access.
He identified poor market access as a key rural challenge, noting that 27.7 kilometres of roads and culverts were built to ease produce transportation.
“over 1,100 hectares of farmland were developed, while 2,769 beneficiaries became active savers and over 2,500 accessed N28 million credit.
Ogbin added that 184 producer organisations, 178 enterprise groups, and 97 registered businesses were established, expressing optimism for improved food security and incomes.
