By Felicia Imohimi
The Federal Government/ International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in Niger Delta ( LIFE-ND) says it will support end-to-end value chain development from production processing, packaging, and export readiness in 2026.
Dr Abiodun Sanni, National Project Coordinator for FG/NDDC/IFAD-LIFE-ND, gave the assurance on Wednesday in Abuja during New Year commemorations, reiterating the project’s commitment to rural economic transformation and inclusive agripreneurship in the region.
“Our vision for 2026 is to transform the rural economy in the Niger Delta, ensuring prosperity and equitable benefits for the rural population through sustainable agribusiness and value addition across commodity lines,” he said.
Sanni said the project would create an enabling environment for innovative beneficiaries and agripreneurs, supporting initiatives that contributed to food security while driving inclusive economic growth and improved livelihoods for local communities.
The LIFE-ND coordinator highlighted strategic priorities for the year, including scaling up the incubation model, strengthening business development services, and improving access to finance, warehouse facilities, warm and cold chain logistics, and collective marketing opportunities.
“The project will promote sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural practices by encouraging agroecology, water-use efficiency, soil health, and reduced post-harvest losses, ensuring that production is environmentally sound and economically beneficial for smallholder farmers.
“We will foster adoption of climate-smart technologies, digital decision-support tools, and inclusion of youth, women, and marginalised groups in leadership roles, ensuring equitable access to resources and agribusiness opportunities across the Niger Delta.
“Expanded hands-on training programmes will provide incubatees, incubators, and mentorship networks with practical, market-driven curricula covering business planning, financial literacy, packaging, branding, and digital marketing to enhance productivity and commercial viability,” Sanni explained.
The coordinator emphasised the promotion of community-led cooperatives and farmer-led enterprises, strengthening partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, industry players, and financial institutions to ensure accountability, resource mobilisation, and long-term project sustainability.
Sanni said digital transformation remained central, with plans to expand online marketplaces, e-extension services, and data-driven advisory systems to improve market access, traceability, product quality, and consumer confidence across the Niger Delta region.
Reflecting on achievements in 2025, Sanni noted the project expanded training and mentorship for emerging agri-entrepreneurs, focusing on youth, women, and Persons with Disabilities, building capacities for sustainable income generation and enterprise growth.
He scalable value chain initiatives implemented in 2025 improved production, enhanced product quality, widened market access, strengthened financial inclusion, and created income stability for unemployed and underemployed youths, women, and smallholder farmers across the region.
Sanni explained that sustainable farming practices, gender-sensitive agripreneurship, climate-resilient farming, and adoption of smart agronomy tools were accelerated, strengthening resilience, productivity, and competitiveness in rural agricultural enterprises in the Niger Delta.
He further highlighted strengthened partnerships with public institutions, the private sector, and development partners, ensuring knowledge sharing, resource mobilisation, and collaboration to enhance programme outcomes and support policy-driven rural development in the region.
The project’s expectations for 2026 include regional showcases and market linkages, connecting producers with national and international buyers, facilitating commercial exposure, and driving competitiveness for agripreneurs across value chains within the Niger Delta.
Sanni assured stakeholders of more incubatee training hubs and processing centres to accelerate value addition across commodity lines, supported by an enhanced monitoring and evaluation framework to track progress and inform policymaking.
He appreciated every incubatee, incubator, producer, processor, marketer, extension agent, financial partner, and policy advocate who contributed to LIFE-ND’s success, emphasising their dedication to innovation, resilience, and inclusive economic growth in 2025.
“To our implementing agencies, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, NDDC, IFAD, partner institutions, and resilient incubates, your work is the heartbeat of this project, and we must carry forward momentum toward sustainable growth in 2026,” Sanni emphasised.
The LIFE-ND coordinator urged all stakeholders to remain collaborative, steadfast, and committed to creating inclusive opportunities, ensuring the project continued transforming agribusiness prospects for rural populations, particularly youth and women across the Niger Delta region.
Sanni ended with New Year wishes for all stakeholders, partners, incubators, incubatees, communities, government agencies, and team members at state and national levels, emphasising prosperity, productivity, sustainability, and inclusive growth in the coming year. (NAN)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru
