The Bayelsa State Government has reaffirmed its dedication to collaborating with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) under the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise Project for the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND). This commitment was announced by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Professor Beke Sese, during a graduation and distribution ceremony for 685 beneficiaries of the LIFE-ND project’s additional financing 2026 batch, held in Yenagoa.
Commissioner Urges Prudent Use of Resources
Professor Sese called on the beneficiaries to utilize the funds and resources provided strictly for their intended purposes, cautioning against any misuse or diversion. He emphasized the critical role of the partnership in enhancing food security across Bayelsa State.
Strengthening Agricultural Transformation
The Commissioner highlighted the robust working relationship between the LIFE-ND project and the state Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources. He noted that this collaboration is pivotal in advancing Governor Douye Diri’s ‘ASSURED Prosperity Agenda’, which prioritizes agriculture. The partnership aims to expand cultivated lands, improve access to quality inputs, and provide essential farm tools to boost agricultural productivity.
“Let me use this opportunity to reaffirm the very strong existing working cordial relationship between the LIFE-ND project in Bayelsa State and the state Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources,” Sese stated. “This relationship is geared towards boosting agricultural transformation, youth development, and promoting food security in the state. We have a very clear agenda to promote agriculture in Bayelsa State, and it is very clear that LIFE-ND has a strong role to play as we pursue this mandate of the Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, who has made agriculture number one in his ‘ASSURED Prosperity Agenda’. I am sure that we are on course.”
Project Focus on Youth and Agro-Business
The National Project Coordinator of LIFE-ND, represented by Mrs. Stella Manureh from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), underscored the project’s focus on tackling youth unemployment, enhancing food security, and promoting agro-business development throughout the Niger Delta region. The Bayelsa LIFE-ND Project Coordinator praised Governor Diri for his unwavering dedication to agriculture and acknowledged the state government’s substantial support for the project. He reiterated the project’s commitment to achieving its objectives and fostering collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to improve agricultural practices in the area.
