Rural communities across eight local government areas (LGAs) in Imo State are witnessing a quiet transformation as beneficiaries of the LIFE-ND agric-entrepreneurship project target a minimum monthly takeoff profit of N200,000 per person.

The Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Project in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and supported by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), is currently training youths, women and returnees in four agricultural value chains, cassava, poultry, rice, and fishery.

The programme, which operates through a special purpose vehicle (SPV), has already triggered high enthusiasm and early optimism from participants and trainers across the eight LGAs in Imo State.

In Obollo, Isiala Mbano LGA, an incubatee in the cassava value chain, Mercy Njoku expressed confidence in the venture’s earning potential. She said the nature of the cassava business varies by season but still promises income stability. “I hope to make not less than N200,000 every month”.

Her trainer, Prince Emeka, who runs Prince Mbaeyi Farm, said he returned from Europe to invest in the cassava business and find stability.

“I do not see it as a hard job. When I started this, I did cultivation in the dry season and tilled with the shovel. I planted the cassava stems myself. I did the first weeding when the dews were dropping down. If you plant cassava, you do not need to go always to monitor for pests attack”.

At Egbelu Nguru in Umuowa Ngor-Okpala, poultry training is gaining traction. Chisom Nwosu, training under Petros Farms, described the LIFE-ND scheme as a community mobilizer. “The coming of the LIFE-ND has galvanized the community by mopping up young people and women into an agric army”.

His trainer, Young-man Soseipiri, who oversees operations as an assistant farm manager, explained that 17 incubatees are being trained in both layer and broiler production. He added that his farm in Obike community has become a training hub for poultry farming.

“The incubator is working very hard to groom us,” said one incubatee, Ogechi Ifeanyichukwu. She said she had a long-standing interest in poultry farming, but the LIFE-ND opportunity brought the dream to life.

“The LIFE-ND scheme brought to them through the NDDC funding under the IFAD partnership has served as a life changer.”

In Amaukwu Obollo, where fishery is the focus, Samtirice Farm part of GKN Concept is hosting 14 incubatees under the mentorship of Ken Njoku, another returnee from abroad. Njoku said he embraced fish farming to bridge the supply gap in the state.

“If you look around, you will see that I am not into fish farm only but I am also in other areas of agriculture. So, I have passion for it and I am doing it not only because of the passion but as an agric business,” he explained.

Njoku is ensuring his trainees not only master fish farming but also understand industry dynamics. “He would teach the secrets of the fish business by registering them into the association,” he said.

One of his trainees, Ajunwa Precious confirmed the hands-on approach. “They have taught us many things on fish farming, types of fish, maturity duration, treatment of the pond, stocking of fish etc. I believe this skill will help me in life.”

Another incubatee, Igwe Chibueze, added: “By the grace of God, our incubator has opened our eyes and widened our knowledge and the secret things about fish farming business. And we have learned many things.”

Already, the LIFE-ND model is attracting spontaneous interest from rural youths.

“Our reporters observed that many young people and women have started trouping the incubation centres in Imo State asking to be integrated.”

A person with a disability is equally grateful to have been rescued. an incubatee, David Chimenem shared that he hopes to become an employer rather than someone who constantly needs help. He also expressed the desire for support in accessing materials to start a fish farm, with the aim of transforming their area into a “fish hub.

However, he is calling for assistance in expanding marketing opportunities, noting that if many people begin producing fish within the same locality, it could lead to a “glut.”

According to the team Leader, Farms Monitoring, the Imo LIFE-ND programme, Chioma Ukuoma, started with five LGAs but was expanded to eight. She said each LGA hosts one of four focus commodities: cassava, rice, 5 aquaculture, with a complete value chain approach from production to marketing.

“This is a new programme mainly targeted at the youths, female-headed homes, and people with disabilities.

“It is yielding the desired fruits in the sense that as we are touring around now, you see people selected that they are happy and enjoying the programme. And they are also saying programme should continue because they are seeing the benefit of being in agriculture. And also providing food to help themselves and others in the communities”.

She called for expansion. “Where they selected 10 or 20 they should add more so that it will reach a lot of people in the communities to alleviate poverty and youth restiveness.”

The LIFE-ND programme is implemented across the nine Niger Delta states with IFAD’s $60 million funding covering six states, while NDDC’s $30 million intervention is focused on three, Imo, Abia and Ondo. Each state is expected to impact at least 4,250 direct beneficiaries within six years.

With farming skills, mentorship and startup support in place, many rural Nigerians in Imo are preparing to launch agribusiness ventures that could earn them upwards of N200,000 per month and reshape the state’s rural economy in the process.