By Wilbet Ijeoma
The Delta State Government has empowered 70 farmers in Ugboba Community, Aniocha North Local Government Area, with agricultural inputs under the Delta State Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (D-CARES) programme.
The intervention, delivered through the FADAMA implementation platform under Result Area 2 (RA2), is aimed at strengthening food security, improving agricultural productivity and supporting livelihoods across the state.
The beneficiaries, who received the support on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at the Ugboba Community Hall, comprise 30 poultry farmers, 10 cassava farmers, 10 maize farmers, 10 tomato farmers and 10 fish farmers.
The agricultural inputs included improved cassava stems, improved maize seeds, day-old chicks, fish fingerlings, animal feeds and fertilisers, among others.
Presenting the inputs on behalf of the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, the Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Sonny Ekedayen, congratulated the beneficiaries and described the intervention as an intentional effort by the state government to extend economic opportunities to communities across Delta State.
Ekedayen, who is Chairman of the D-CARES State Steering Committee and was represented at the event by his Special Assistant, Mr. Charles Iyoha, said the empowerment demonstrated the government’s commitment to ensuring that eligible beneficiaries received the support required to improve their agricultural activities.
He disclosed that Ugboba was the sixth community reached during the current round of intervention in Aniocha North, bringing the number of farmers supported in the local government to 840.
According to him, the latest intervention brings the total number of farmers supported under D-CARES across Delta State to 17,800 in the state’s 25 local government areas.
He described the figure as a significant reach, stressing that sustained interventions such as D-CARES remained critical to livelihood improvement and economic recovery.
The commissioner urged the beneficiaries to utilise the inputs effectively for the benefit of their families and communities, while charging programme implementers and relevant stakeholders to maintain accountability, orderliness and transparency in the implementation process.
Ekedayen also commended Governor Oborevwori for his commitment to the MORE Agenda and his efforts to create opportunities for citizens irrespective of status, tribe, religion or location.
He called on the beneficiaries to support the continuity of the administration’s programmes, including by voting for the Governor and other APC candidates in the forthcoming general elections.
The State Coordinator of D-CARES, Lady Dr. Patience Ogbewe, explained that D-CARES is part of the national NG-CARES intervention supported by the World Bank.
She said Result Area 2 focuses on food security, with the objective of ensuring that food is available, affordable and of high nutritional quality.
Ogbewe said FADAMA had adopted international best practices in its agricultural interventions, noting that the improved cassava stems supplied to beneficiaries were selected for their nutritional qualities and micronutrient content.
She explained that the combination of cassava, maize, poultry and fish in the intervention was deliberate, as it promoted a balanced approach to food production and nutrition.
“You must count yourself lucky for being a partaker of this intervention,” Ogbewe told the beneficiaries, noting that more than 17,600 farmers had so far been supported under the programme, which is currently in its fifth tranche of implementation.
She assured residents that more farmers with a genuine interest in agriculture could be considered in subsequent phases of the intervention.
Ogbewe thanked Governor Oborevwori for extending the empowerment programme to Ugboba and urged beneficiaries to use the opportunity wisely, stressing that they should reinvest their gains in other productive ventures.
Earlier, the State Project Coordinator, FADAMA, and Technical Head of D-CARES RA2, Mrs. Therese Omame, congratulated the beneficiaries and assured residents that distance would not prevent the government from reaching communities across the state.
She disclosed that the FADAMA team had already reached 11 communities in Aniocha North, including Okwunzu, Ezi, Onicha-Olona and Ubulubu, among others, with Ugboba becoming the 12th community reached.
Omame said the intervention had initially been met with doubts by some residents because of previous experiences with promised empowerment programmes, but noted that the arrival of the inputs had demonstrated that the present administration’s commitment was genuine.
She urged the beneficiaries to make productive use of the opportunity and ensure that the objectives of the programme were achieved.
Community leader, Chief Otobo Ofili; Hon. Dr. Awunor Alexander; and the representative of the Chairman of Aniocha North LGA, Hon. Ndubisi Osemene, described the intervention as a significant empowerment initiative.
They thanked Governor Oborevwori for extending the programme to Ugboba and appealed for more interventions to benefit residents.
They also urged the beneficiaries to be productive and responsible with the inputs provided.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Judith Isioma Onyeajuwa, a member of the Ugboba community, expressed appreciation to the Governor, describing the intervention as her first experience of benefiting from a government empowerment programme.
Onyeajuwa said residents had watched neighbouring communities benefit from the programme and were delighted that Ugboba had finally been included.
Another beneficiary, Olapade Faith Ifeoma, said there had initially been doubts because residents had previously received promises of empowerment that did not materialise.
She, however, said the latest intervention had dispelled those doubts and demonstrated that the present administration was committed to delivering on its promises.
The beneficiaries thanked the Governor and pledged to make effective use of the inputs while supporting the continuation of his administration’s programmes.
The Commissioner, represented by his Special Assistant, subsequently led the presentation of the agricultural inputs and input vouchers to the beneficiaries and charged them to put the items to productive use.
The beneficiary groups included Precious Maize Farmers, Marvelous Poultry Farmers, Okwukwe Poultry Farmers, Winners Fish Farmers, Amazing Poultry Farmers, Peace Tomato Farmers and Gold Cassava Farmers.
Also present at the event were the Head of Operations, D-CARES Coordinating Unit, Mr. Christopher Oyenike; FADAMA Desk Officer for Aniocha North, Mr. Ojomu Jonathan; and other officials of the D-CARES office.