LIFE-ND Secures $32M Funding to Boost Agriculture

The Livelihood Improvement and Family Enterprises Project in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) has secured an additional $32 million financing from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), raising its total project budget from $97.8 million to $129.8 million. This funding comes as the project records a 95% disbursement of its original IFAD loan and expands its digital and artificial intelligence-powered agricultural advisory services.

The announcement was made in Abuja during the sixth Joint Supervision Mission of the LIFE-ND project, which involves the Federal Government, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and IFAD. Launched in February 2019, LIFE-ND aims to address economic challenges in rural communities by strengthening agricultural enterprises and creating pathways for young people and women to transition from subsistence farming to viable agribusinesses.

The project targets the development of 900 mature enterprises to mentor 38,250 apprentices, with measurable results indicating increased agricultural production among participating households.