SEDC Inaugurates Technical Committee for IFAD Agric Programme


L-R: The National Project Coordinator for LIFE-ND programme, Engr.Abiodun Sanni; the SEDC Acting Managing Director, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, the Director Project Coordinating Unit, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Bassey Unaowo and the SEDC Director Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr Doodei Week, during the inauguration of the Technical Support Committee for the LIFE-ND programme at the SEDC new headquarters in Port Harcourt.

The Acting Managing Director of the South East Development Commission, SEDC, Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, says that the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Programme in the South East, LIFE-ND, a partnership between the Commission and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD, will help to bring people back to agriculture.

Speaking during the inauguration of the Technical Support Committee for the LIFE-ND programme at the SEDC new headquarters in Port Harcourt, Prof Pondei said the goal of the programme was to transform the rural economy of the South East region and improve the livelihood of the citizens.

Pondei, said that it was necessary to activate the relevant committees, involving the IFAD, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and SEDC, to provide all the necessary support required for the successful implementation of the LIFE-ND programme.

The SEDC Chief Executive Officer lamented that while the programmes had progressed appreciably in other parts of the country, it had not done so well in the Niger Delta region because of funding challenges. He, however, remarked that the challenges were gradually being overcome as the programme had taken off in six states of the region.

In his own remarks, the SEDC Director Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr Doodei Week, said that the focus on agriculture would help to diversify the resource base of the country and reduce the dependence on oil and gas in the South East.

He said that the Technical Support Committee of the LIFE-ND programme was the second-tier of the project implementation, noting that it had a financing agreement which mandates the committee to periodically review the progress of the programme and ensure that it was line with the original design.

The director said: “We are happy that so far, the project is subsisting after being launched over one year ago. Six states of Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Ondo have already kicked off. Incubators and incubates have been selected and the national office, funded by SEDC, is already operational.”

He said that the partnership between IFAD and the SEDC would enhance the opportunities of youths and women and also alleviate poverty in the South East region by creating employment opportunities that would meaningfully engage the youths and women.

The National Project Coordinator for LIFE-ND programme, Engr.Abiodun Sanni, emphasized that it would enhance the income, food security and job creation for rural youths and women through agricultural enterprise development on a sustainable basis in the South East.

Engr. Sanni said that the implementation would be facilitated by different committees, including the National Steering Committee, Technical Support Committee and State Project Site

Sanni said the LIFE-ND programme would enhance the income, food security and job creation for rural youths and women through agricultural enterprise development on a sustainable basis in the Niger Delta.

Also speaking, a representative of the Director Project Coordinating Unit, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Bassey Unaowo, said that LIFE-ND was planned with a financing gap of six years, adding that it had both a first phase of six years, with parallel finance from SEDC and an additional six years to be financed by other partners and additional IFAD loan.

He regretted that the LIFE-ND programme had been slowed down in the South East because of funding challenges.

Charles Obi Odili
Director, Corporate Affairs
November 14, 2020.  

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