The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in collaboration with the Federal Government, the Niger Delta Development Commission and the Ondo State Government, has inducted 1,020 new incubatees for Batch 2 of the 2026 Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises–Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project in Ondo State.
The incubatees were drawn from 10 selected local government areas in the state, with the project covering 10 communities in each local government area.
Speaking at the orientation and technical session for the new inductees in Akure on Wednesday, the Ondo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Mr. Leye Akinola, thanked the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for creating an enabling environment for the empowerment programme, which he said would make beneficiaries self-reliant.
Akinola, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Agriculture Sub-sector, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Mrs. Foluke Daramola, admonished the incubatees to serve as worthy ambassadors of the state and urged them to imbibe diligence and honesty.
He described the programme as an investment in the people, saying it had the potential to address poverty and unemployment.
Dr. Sanni, who was represented by Alhaji Yinka Amosun, disclosed that the orientation and technical session was taking place simultaneously across the Niger Delta states with funding from IFAD.
The NPC congratulated the new incubatees for successfully scaling the rigorous selection process, describing them as the face of the agricultural revolution in Ondo State, the Niger Delta and Nigeria.
He urged them to remain dedicated and treat the orientation and subsequent training as the foundation for their future businesses, assuring them that their success would contribute to lifting their communities out of poverty.
Dr. Sanni expressed the hope that the beneficiaries would eventually become employers of labour.
He said, “We want you to pay close attention to your mentors, our incubators who will be training you, and master the skills required for the agricultural revolution.
“We also expect you to respect your incubators and the officials of the state coordinating office who will be implementing the project.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, the State Project Coordinator, Prince Olawale Ademola, appreciated the Aiyedatiwa administration for its commitment to the payment of the state’s counterpart fund.
He disclosed that 6,000 people from Ondo State had benefited from the programme so far.
Ademola also congratulated the new intakes for successfully passing through the screening process, which attracted more than 10,000 applicants.
He said their training would last between one and three months, depending on their areas of business, during which each participant would receive a monthly stipend.
The SPC added that each incubatee would receive the necessary equipment for their business at the end of the training, but warned against diverting or selling the equipment.
He said offenders would face stiff penalties.
Some incubatees and incubators who spoke at the event shared their success stories, explaining how the programme had transformed their economic fortunes and enabled them to become employers of labour rather than job seekers.
In his vote of thanks, the State Agro-Business Promotion Officer, Mr. Isaiah Bodunwa, thanked the sponsors of the programme and commended the state government for creating an enabling environment for the project and its commitment to counterpart funding.
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