In an effort to make its beneficiaries gain sustainable advantage over international competitors, Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises, Niger Delta, LIFE-ND, an International Fund for Agricultural Development-sponsored Project, on May 4, 2026, in Umuahia, organized training on Marketing strategy to gain competitive advantage over rivals for sustainable profit margin.
Uchenna Rowland Onyeizu, Ph.D, CEnv
State Project Coordinator
Addressing journalists on the gains of the training, the State Project Coordinator Uchenna Rowland Onyeizu, Ph.D, CEnv, said the exercise is directed at making the beneficiaries have the knowledge of measuring, branding, packaging, pricing for profit, including meeting international standards of acceptability.
“The sustainability of every agribusiness is dependent on the profit that they make. That’s why we’ve decided to organize this.
“Basically, this is to teach and build their capacity on measuring, packaging, branding their products, so as to add more market value at the end of day”, he said.
He noted that the training is equally aimed at discouraging farmers from selling at “farmgate” where offtakers buy directly from the farm, cutting off middlemen, leading to little or no profit in the tasking activities of farming.
Speaking on the inclusion of all the 17 Local Government Areas in the project, Onyeizu revealed that the clamour for inclusion by other Local Government Areas, has gained attention of State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, through the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Cliff Agbaeze, tagging the proposed inclusion as “LIFE-ND plus”, (LIFE-ND+).
He explained that the Project was limited to 10 selected LGAs of the state due to limited funding of the financiers.
“Pressure of expansion has always been there when we go to communities. Communities not selected, question why they were removed from the selection process. However, we’ve proposed to the state government for what we call, LIFE-ND+”, he revealed.
Godwin Chukwuekezie
State Agribusiness Promotion Officer
Speaking on the essence of the training, the State Agribusiness Promotion Officer Godwin Chukwuekezie, said the exercise would restore investors’ and Offtakers’ confidence on standards: weight, measurements, packaging, branding and pricing, giving positive identity to the farmer and production process, including enhancing credibility both online and other alternative marketplaces.
Ms Nkechi Kalu Chukwu
State Marketing Specialist
The State Marketing Specialist, Ms Nkechi Kalu Chukwu, observed the ignorance of farmers in the process of marketing strategy, advising the participants to have adequate knowledge of all the identified elements if they must profitably remain in business, while enjoining them to equally step down the training in their various communities.
Mr John Gabriel
Agric Economist from Ministry of Agriculture
A resource person Mr John Gabriel, an Agric Economist from Ministry of Agriculture, advised the government to set up task force that would enforce standards that will match international products.
He also advised farmers to maintain originality rather than branding their products with foreign names.
Comrade Odoemelam Kingsley Ifeanyi
Participant
A participant, Comrade Odoemelam Kingsley Ifeanyi, an agribusiness entrepreneur of rice production, processing, seed multiplication, and marketing, Uzuakoli, Bende LGA, thanked the Project for building his knowledge in marketing strategy, including record keeping that informs adequate pricing of products.
Group picture of participants
Abia LIFE-ND Project has empowered 4,379 beneficiaries, with additional 616 youths currently waiting to benefit in the project’s Additional Funding, AF.
