Abia LIFE-ND Coordinating Office Holds 3-day MTRM For Officers, ADP Agro Experts

The Abia state Coordinating office of the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises-Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) began a 3-day Monthly Technological Review Meeting (MTRM) which also engaged the officers of Agricultural Development Program (ADP) for maximum agro output and training of beneficiaries.

The event scheduled to hold from 6th-8th December, 2022 at the National Root Crop Research Institute, Umudike, Abia state began with fruitful interaction with principal agro officers who are participants.

According to the Abia LIFE-ND State Rural Institution, Gender and Youth Officer, Anthony Nwaobilor, the facilitator of the activity, revealed that the MTRM was the initiative of the Project to collaborate with ADP to serve the
enhancement of LIFE-ND agro beneficiaries in farming technology services.

Nwaobilor also added that the MTRM is in line with LIFE-ND’ blueprint to ensure the best for the project’s beneficiaries.

The participants from the LIFE-ND office are the, Agri-business promotion officer, Chukwuekezie Godwin, the State Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Azubuike Ogbonna, Nutrition Mainstreaming Specialist, Chioma Obasi and Climate Change Specialist, Chidozie Kanu.

The meeting was designed to enhance Abia LIFE-ND officers to benefit from the modern technology in farming which will be stepped down for beneficiaries of the project.

Dr. Nathaniel Chika Ezebuiro, the Coordinator, Farming System Research Institute, Umudike and Assistant Director, South East Zone, while addressing newsmen commended the intervention of IFAD project for the MTRM and urge the project to maintain a monthly standard of the MTRM for effective feedback while stating that they will bridge the gap of the responsibility of the government in regard to the organizing, effectiveness and funding of the MTRM.

“We appreciate the efforts of LIFE-ND. There are gaps, they looked into it and felt that they can do it. We encourage them to do it on monthly basis. Let it be added in their budget as part of their activities,”. Dr.Ezebuiro said.

Mrs. Uche Nnenna Odunma, the Agricultural Development Program (ADP) Director, Technical Services in charge of MTRM, explained that the meeting was to enable their subject-matter Specialists to adopt On-Shelf Technology from Research Institute based on their areas of interests across livestock, agro- forestry and others.

Mrs. Uche added that “On-Shelf Technology” which she referred to as technologies that have been researched on, proven and ready for dissemination , are not used or transferred to the farmers and has become a major challenge. She also called more recruitment of extension agents in various location government areas of the state to enhance the performance of ADP and utilisation of On-shelf Technology.

The LIFE-ND Project is being funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development(IFAD).

Also involved in the project are the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the Federal Ministry of Finance, budget and National Planning, and the United Nations.

The project is ongoing in Niger-Delta States.