The Executive Chairman of Akpabuyo Local Government Area, Hon. Prince Bassey E. Effiong, has declared that agriculture remains Nigeria’s greatest hope for sustainable economic growth, food security and job creation, commending the FGN/NDDC/IFAD-Assisted Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise for the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) Project for empowering rural communities through practical agribusiness interventions.
The Chairman made the declaration when the Cross River State Project Coordinating Office of the LIFE-ND Project paid him a strategic advocacy visit at the Council Secretariat in Akpabuyo to strengthen collaboration and institutionalize sustainability mechanisms for the Project.
“What I have seen and heard today gives me hope for Nigeria,” Hon. Effiong said. “The implementation approach of LIFE-ND is unique. Rather than creating dependence, the Project equips people with knowledge, skills and resources that enable them to succeed on their own.”
He stressed that meaningful development must go beyond training to actual empowerment, noting that equipping people with the tools to build sustainable livelihoods remains the surest path to national prosperity.
“It is better to empower people than to continue training them without providing opportunities. Young people should be taught how to fish instead of giving them fish,” he said.
The Chairman disclosed that the Council deliberately invested in fish tanks to complement the LIFE-ND Project’s aquaculture programme, describing the initiative as a credible intervention that is transforming lives across rural communities.
“As a Council, we are more comfortable partnering with a credible institution like LIFE-ND than pursuing isolated interventions,” he stated.
Hon. Effiong also revealed that the Council is partnering with the Cross River Agricultural Development Programme (CRADP) to establish tree crop nurseries that will further support farmers across the Local Government Area. He pledged sustained support for committed beneficiaries and expressed his administration’s determination to position Akpabuyo as a major poultry production and distribution hub serving Calabar and neighbouring communities.
Earlier, the State Project Coordinator of LIFE-ND, Dr. Innocent M. Ogbin, said the advocacy visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration with the Local Government Council while acquainting the Chairman with the Project’s achievements, implementation strategy and sustainability framework.
He thanked the Chairman for receiving the delegation despite his busy schedule, describing the visit as a demonstration of his commitment to grassroots development and people-centred leadership in line with the vision of Governor Bassey Otu.
Dr. Ogbin explained that the LIFE-ND Project, jointly funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), remains one of the most impactful agricultural livelihood interventions in the Niger Delta.
“Agriculture remains one of the surest pathways to food security, job creation and wealth generation,” he said. “The LIFE-ND Project is deliberately designed to empower youths and women to build profitable agribusiness enterprises while strengthening rural economies.”
He noted that Akpabuyo was selected as the first Local Government Area for the advocacy engagement because of the Chairman’s demonstrated commitment to agriculture and rural transformation.
According to him, the Project currently operates in 10 communities across Akpabuyo, covering four agricultural commodity value chains, alongside interventions in nutrition, climate change adaptation, financial inclusion, ICT for Development and institutional strengthening.
Dr. Ogbin disclosed that 418 direct beneficiaries have already been empowered across the Local Government Area, while several rural infrastructures and community institutions have been established to support agribusiness development. He added that the Federal Government’s approval of additional financing has enabled the Project to continue implementation with greater emphasis on enterprises capable of delivering quicker returns to beneficiaries.
Speaking on sustainability, the State Rural Institutions, Gender and Youth Officer, Mrs. Ewor Myke Edet, explained that the Project had established Commodity Apex Development Associations (CADAs) and would constitute the LIFE-ND Agribusiness Innovative Forum (LAbIF) at the Local Government level to coordinate activities and sustain the gains of the intervention beyond IFAD’s exit.
The Project team also revealed that about 60 per cent of beneficiaries have successfully transitioned into profitable agribusiness enterprises, while many others continue to advance through the incubation process.
Dr. Ogbin further encouraged the Chairman to institutionalize Local Government support by creating a dedicated budget line for the LIFE-ND Project to guarantee sustainability and inspire similar commitments from other councils across the state.
Responding, Hon. Effiong welcomed the recommendation and reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to agricultural development and rural enterprise.
The advocacy visit ended with both the LIFE-ND Project and Akpabuyo Local Government Council reaffirming their commitment to strengthening collaboration, institutionalizing sustainability mechanisms and expanding opportunities for youths and women through profitable agribusiness, with a shared conviction that agriculture remains the surest path to inclusive economic growth and lasting prosperity in Cross River State.
