The Federal Government, in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Ondo State Government, has announced plans to empower 14,800 youths through agricultural production and enterprise development across Ondo State.
The initiative is part of the IFAD–FG Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise–Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) Project, a multi-state intervention designed to expand youth participation in agribusiness, improve food production, and strengthen rural economies.
Implementation of the programme will span 100 communities across 10 local government areas of the state. Beneficiaries, known as incubatees, will receive structured training and business support in key value chains, including cocoa, cassava, fisheries, and poultry production.
The Ondo State Project Coordinator, Olawale Ademola, disclosed this during a media roundtable held in Akure, where he provided an update on the progress and expansion of the project. He explained that the programme’s first phase, which concluded in April 2025, delivered measurable results that justified additional funding and an extension of activities.
According to Ademola, 4,182 youths were trained and supported during the initial phase of implementation. He noted that the recorded outcomes demonstrated the programme’s capacity to generate sustainable livelihoods for young people, leading IFAD to approve additional financing and a three-year extension.
Under the expanded phase, the project aims to reach 14,800 youths over the next three years. Of this number, 5,800 participants will be engaged as full incubatees, while an additional 9,000 youths will benefit from targeted business development services, including enterprise support, mentorship, and capacity strengthening for agribusiness sustainability.
The project will be implemented in Akure North, Ondo East, Ile-Oluji/Oke Igbo, Akoko South-West, Owo, Irele, Ilaje, Idanre, Ese-Odo, and Akoko North-West local government areas. Ademola added that Ondo State is one of six Niger Delta states participating in the IFAD-supported programme, alongside Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Abia, and Cross River States.
He attributed the programme’s progress to effective collaboration among stakeholders, noting that consistent counterpart funding from government partners has supported smooth execution at the state level. While acknowledging the positive impact on youth livelihoods, Ademola also identified challenges such as insecurity, inflation, low literacy levels, and occasional non-compliance among beneficiaries, adding that mitigation measures are in place to address these concerns.
Speaking on the programme’s objectives, the State Agribusiness Promotion Officer, Bodunwa Isaiah, said the intervention is structured to improve food availability, create employment opportunities for young people, and promote income generation through commercially viable agriculture.
Also speaking, the State Rural Institution Gender and Youth Officer, Bolanle Akinyede, explained that the incubation model follows a trainer–trainee framework targeted at youths with genuine interest in agribusiness. She emphasized that participants are selected based on commitment and willingness to engage in agriculture as a business, rather than subsistence farming.
The expanded programme is expected to increase youth participation in agribusiness value chains, enhance local food systems, and stimulate economic activity in rural communities across Ondo State.
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