By Ochuko Akuopha

ABOH – ABOH Community, headquarters of Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Delta State was agog as it hosted the Country Director, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Ekou Dede and the management team of the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), headed by its National Project Coordinator, Engr. Sanni Abiodun on their maiden Mid-Term-Review (MTR) visit to the State.

The visitors who also had representatives of the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Finance in their entourage were received at the palace of HRH, Obi Imegwu II, the Obi of Aboh Kingdom at a ceremony that had palace chiefs, LIFE-ND Project beneficiaries, community youths, farmer groups and others in attendance.

Speaking on the behalf of the community, Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC) Chairman, Chief Akpati Edison, expressed appreciation to the IFAD Assisted LIFE-ND Project for siting a cassava processing mill in the community and empowering the community’s women and youths in various agricultural value-chain, particularly in cassava processing.

He said: “the LIFE-ND project has proven itself to be the most pragmatic, realistic and most sustainable and successful government intervention agricultural programme we have ever witnessed as a community in the history of this country.”

“We are grateful to IFAD and the LIFE-ND team for their honesty and transparency in encouraging our youths to once again find pride in farming”.

The Country Director of IFAD, Ekou Dede, thanked the community’s leadership for taking ownership of the LIFE-ND project in the community and by providing in-kind contributions necessary to making the facility and the LIFE-ND Project more sustainable in the community.

She expressed hope that the model of community contribution and participation adopted by the Aboh community could become a model for all communities of Nigeria to adopt in various IFAD Funded projects.

The visit ended with a tour of the automated Aboh cassava processing facility where over 15 beneficiaries of the LIFE-ND project were seen undergoing apprenticeship and mentorship, alongside samples of branded Aboh Garri, Cassava Flour and Fufu that were showcased