Okpebholo empowers farmers with N1.6 billion

…..as Edo LIFE-ND disburses N500m to 1,797 farmers

Edo state governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has approved the sum of N1.6 billion for rural farmers programme, it has emerged.

The Edo State office of Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project disclosed in Benin city adding that it has disbursed over N500 million to empower 1,797 farmers in the State.

The State Coordinator of the project, Mr John Omoruyi disclosed this when the executive members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists paid him a courtesy visit in Benin City.

Omoruyi, said the empowerment of the rural farmers was made possible by the state governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo’s approval of N1.6 billion for the programme.

He said the N1.6 billion by the governor would enable the project to capture the remaining eight local governments that it has hitherto not covered.

He said before now the project covered 10 local governments out of the 18 local governments in the State.

According to him, since the assumption of office of the present government led by Senator Monday Okpebholo, LIFE-ND project has distributed over N500 million to support 1,797 women and youths. This is just a space of three months.

“With his benevolence, Governor Okpebholo, approved the sum of N1.6 billion to cover the remaining eight local government areas that were not captured by the project.

“Additional 2000 jobs are coming from the payment of this counterpart funds”, he said.

Omoruyi said the programme was being funded by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Nine Niger Delta States in which Edo State is a member.

While noting that Edo State stood out among the participating states, he added that the objective of the project is the promotion of rural economic, engage women and youths in agriculture and doing agriculture as a business.

The State Coordinator said the project was designed for youths between the ages of 18 and 35, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), women headed households among others.

He added that the state has last year, 2024, surpassed its target of 4,250 with a record of 4,360.