45,000 Benefit From Ifad/FG Poverty Alleviation

from All Africa

This Day (Lagos)

No fewer than 45,000 poor rural families in Delta State are to benefit from the poverty alleviation programme of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Federal Government.

The households are located in nine local government areas targeted by IFAD/FG Community-Based Natural Resources Management Programme (CBNRMP) in Niger Delta.

The project basically targets agriculture and rural development in nine Niger Delta states, including Delta State.

State Programme Officer for the project, Mr Chris Abuah, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibusa, Delta State, that 27 communities were being targeted in the state. He said the programme, which started in three pilot local government areas of Delta, covers agricultural and structural developments in six other local government areas.

He said six of the eight projects initiated by CBNRMP in three pilot councils of Burutu, Ethiope West and Oshimili North in 2007, had been completed through direct labour.

"Our targets are mainly women, youths and vulnerable groups," Abuah said.