YUSUF OFFIA FOUNDATION (YOF)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE FOOD SOVEREIGNTY PROJECT
An Initiative for the Empowerment and Sustainable Development of the Ezza People
Organization: Yusuf Offia Foundation (NGO)
Project: Food Sovereignty Project
Target Beneficiaries: The Ezza People
Project Location: Ezza Communities, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
1. INTRODUCTION
Yusuf Offia Foundation is a non-governmental organization committed to improving the welfare, food security, agricultural development, and sustainable livelihoods of the Ezza people. Established September 1, 2016.
The Food Sovereignty Project is designed to promote access to adequate, nutritious, safe, and culturally appropriate food while encouraging local food production, agricultural sustainability, community participation, and economic empowerment.
These Terms and Conditions establish the rules, responsibilities, eligibility requirements, and operational guidelines governing participation in the project. Every applicant, beneficiary, partner, volunteer, and participating community member is expected to comply with these provisions.
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
The Food Sovereignty Project aims to:
1. Promote sustainable food production among the Ezza people.
2. Support local farmers and vulnerable households in improving food availability and accessibility.
3. Encourage the cultivation of indigenous crops and preservation of traditional agricultural knowledge.
4. Provide agricultural inputs, training, and other approved forms of assistance to eligible beneficiaries.
5. Promote environmentally sustainable farming practices and responsible management of natural resources.
6. Empower women, youths, smallholder farmers, and disadvantaged households through agricultural and livelihood initiatives.
7. Reduce hunger, malnutrition, and excessive dependence on external food supplies.
8. Strengthen community participation in decisions concerning food production, distribution, and consumption.
9. Encourage cooperation among farmers, community leaders, agricultural experts, and development partners.
10. Promote long-term food security and economic resilience within Ezza communities.
3. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To qualify for participation in the project, an applicant must satisfy the following requirements:
1. Be a genuine member or resident of an eligible Ezza community, subject to the project's geographical coverage.
2. Meet the specific eligibility criteria established for the relevant project activity.
3. Provide accurate and verifiable personal information during registration.
4. Demonstrate a genuine need for the assistance or willingness to participate in the relevant agricultural or food sovereignty activity.
5. Agree to comply with the foundation's rules, procedures, and project guidelines.
6. Participate in any required orientation, training, assessment, or monitoring activities.
7. Provide any reasonable supporting documents required for verification, where applicable.
Note: Membership of the Ezza community does not automatically guarantee selection. Beneficiaries shall be selected according to transparent, fair, and project-specific criteria.
4. REGISTRATION AND VERIFICATION
1. All applicants must complete the official registration process.
2. Information provided during registration must be truthful, accurate, and complete.
3. The foundation reserves the right to verify applicants' identities, residence, farming activities, household circumstances, or other relevant eligibility information.
4. Submission of an application does not constitute a guarantee of acceptance or financial assistance.
5. Applicants found to have submitted false information or fraudulent documents may be disqualified.
6. The foundation shall take reasonable steps to protect applicants' personal information and use it only for legitimate project administration, monitoring, reporting, and other lawful purposes.
5. BENEFICIARY SELECTION
Beneficiaries shall be selected through a fair and transparent process based on the nature and resources of the project.
The selection process may consider:
Level of food insecurity and household vulnerability.
Status as a smallholder farmer or agricultural producer.
Availability of land or access to suitable farming arrangements, where relevant.
Willingness to participate in training and project activities.
Household size and livelihood circumstances.
Participation of women, youths, persons with disabilities, and other disadvantaged groups.
Geographical distribution across eligible Ezza communities.
Other reasonable criteria relevant to the project's objectives.
No applicant shall be required to pay a bribe, provide an unlawful benefit, or offer personal favours to obtain project assistance.
Community leaders may assist with identifying potential beneficiaries, but their recommendations shall not replace the foundation's approved selection process.
6. FORMS OF PROJECT ASSISTANCE
Depending on available funding, resources, and project priorities, assistance may include:
1. Improved seeds and planting materials.
2. Fertilizers, soil-improvement materials, and other approved agricultural inputs.
3. Farming tools and equipment.
4. Agricultural training and extension services.
5. Support for community gardens and cooperative farming.
6. Food processing, storage, and preservation initiatives.
7. Support for women- and youth-led agricultural enterprises.
8. Nutrition education and food preparation awareness.
9. Other approved interventions that promote food sovereignty.
The type, quantity, value, and timing of assistance shall be determined by the foundation based on available resources and established project plans.
The foundation does not guarantee that every beneficiary will receive cash, equipment, food items, or all forms of assistance listed above.
7. RESPONSIBILITIES OF BENEFICIARIES
Every beneficiary shall:
1. Provide truthful information throughout the registration and implementation process.
2. Use project materials, funds, equipment, or other assistance strictly for their approved purposes.
3. Participate actively in relevant training sessions and project activities.
4. Avoid selling, transferring, or diverting project-provided resources contrary to the conditions attached to the assistance.
5. Maintain any equipment or materials entrusted to them with reasonable care.
6. Cooperate with authorized project officers during monitoring and evaluation.
7. Respect other beneficiaries, project staff, volunteers, and community members.
8. Avoid discriminatory, threatening, violent, or fraudulent conduct during project activities.
9. Report suspected fraud, diversion of resources, corruption, or other serious misconduct.
10. Comply with applicable Nigerian laws and legitimate project procedures.
8. FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Participants are encouraged to adopt agricultural practices that improve local food systems and protect the environment.
These practices may include:
Cultivation of locally suitable and indigenous crops.
Responsible use of soil, water, and other natural resources.
Crop diversification and appropriate crop rotation.
Safe storage and preservation of harvested produce.
Reduction of avoidable food losses and waste.
Responsible management of agricultural chemicals.
Preservation of indigenous seeds and traditional agricultural knowledge, where appropriate.
Promotion of local markets and community-based food distribution systems.
Participation in the project shall not be interpreted as a requirement to surrender land ownership, traditional knowledge, seed ownership, or other lawful property rights to the foundation.
9. FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
1. All funds and resources provided through the project must be managed responsibly and used for their approved purposes.
2. Any beneficiary receiving project funds for a specified activity must provide supporting records or reports where reasonably required.
3. Project resources shall not be diverted for personal enrichment, political campaigning, unlawful activities, or unauthorized purposes.
4. Foundation staff, volunteers, community representatives, and beneficiaries shall not engage in bribery, embezzlement, falsification of records, or fraudulent claims.
5. Any suspected financial irregularity should be reported through the foundation's designated complaint or reporting channel.
6. The foundation shall maintain appropriate financial and administrative records in accordance with applicable laws and relevant donor requirements.
10. NON-DISCRIMINATION AND INCLUSION
Yusuf Offia Foundation shall seek to implement the project fairly and respectfully.
No applicant or beneficiary shall be unfairly discriminated against on the basis of sex, disability, age, social status, religion, political affiliation, or other protected characteristics under applicable law.
Special consideration may be given to vulnerable households, women, youths, persons with disabilities, and other disadvantaged groups where consistent with the project's objectives and eligibility criteria.
Traditional leadership, community structures, and cultural practices may be respected in project implementation, provided they do not undermine beneficiaries' lawful rights, safety, dignity, or fair access to assistance.
11. PROTECTION AGAINST EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE
The foundation maintains a commitment to safeguarding the dignity and welfare of beneficiaries.
Accordingly:
1. No staff member, volunteer, or representative may demand sexual favours, money, gifts, or other personal benefits in exchange for registration, selection, or assistance.
2. No beneficiary shall be subjected to intimidation, harassment, exploitation, or abuse in connection with the project.
3. Children and vulnerable persons shall be treated in accordance with applicable safeguarding requirements.
4. Complaints of exploitation, abuse, or misconduct shall be handled with appropriate confidentiality and seriousness.
5. Retaliation against a person who makes a good-faith complaint shall not be permitted.
12. MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND REPORTING
The foundation may conduct monitoring visits, beneficiary assessments, interviews, surveys, and other evaluations to determine whether the project is achieving its objectives.
Beneficiaries may be requested to provide reasonable information about the use of assistance, farming activities, food production, or project outcomes.
Participation in monitoring shall be conducted respectfully and with appropriate safeguards for personal information.
Where photographs, videos, personal stories, or identifiable information are to be used publicly for publicity or promotional purposes, the foundation shall obtain appropriate consent or establish another lawful basis for such use, as applicable.
13. COMPLAINTS AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Any applicant or beneficiary who believes they have been unfairly treated, improperly excluded, or affected by misconduct may submit a complaint to the foundation.
Complaints should include, where possible:
The complainant's name and contact details, unless an anonymous report is appropriate.
A description of the issue.
The date and location of the incident.
Relevant supporting information or evidence.
The foundation shall establish a reasonable procedure for receiving, reviewing, and resolving complaints.
Where appropriate, disputes may be addressed through dialogue, mediation, or other peaceful mechanisms consistent with the rights of the parties involved.
Nothing in this section prevents a person from reporting suspected criminal conduct to the appropriate authorities or exercising any legal right available under Nigerian law.
14. SUSPENSION OR TERMINATION OF PARTICIPATION
The foundation may suspend or terminate a beneficiary's participation where there is reasonable evidence of:
1. Fraudulent registration or deliberate misrepresentation.
2. Diversion or misuse of project resources.
3. Serious misconduct or threats against project personnel or other beneficiaries.
4. Repeated refusal to comply with legitimate project requirements.
5. Participation in bribery, corruption, or other unlawful conduct connected with the project.
Where practicable, the beneficiary shall be informed of the allegations and given a reasonable opportunity to respond before a final decision is made.
Any decision shall be proportionate to the circumstances and consistent with applicable law, safeguarding obligations, and relevant donor requirements.
15. LIMITATIONS AND AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES
Project activities depend on funding, donations, agricultural conditions, logistical capacity, and other operational factors.
The foundation shall make reasonable efforts to implement approved activities but cannot guarantee uninterrupted funding, a particular harvest, a specific income level, or the elimination of food insecurity.
Where resources are insufficient to meet all identified needs, the foundation may prioritize beneficiaries according to transparent eligibility and vulnerability criteria.
Any material change to the scope, schedule, or delivery of assistance should be communicated to affected beneficiaries where reasonably practicable.
16. DATA PROTECTION AND CONFIDENTIALITY
The foundation shall handle personal information in accordance with applicable Nigerian data protection laws, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, where applicable.
Personal information may be collected and processed for legitimate purposes, including registration, eligibility verification, beneficiary selection, project delivery, monitoring, accountability, and lawful reporting obligations.
The foundation shall take reasonable measures to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or misuse of personal information.
Beneficiaries may request information about the handling of their personal data through the foundation's designated contact channel, subject to applicable law.
17. AMENDMENTS TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Yusuf Offia Foundation reserves the right to review and amend these Terms and Conditions where necessary to improve project implementation, respond to changing circumstances, or comply with applicable legal and donor requirements.
Material amendments shall be communicated to affected participants within a reasonable period.
No amendment shall override applicable Nigerian law or unlawfully remove rights already acquired by beneficiaries.
18. GOVERNING LAW
These Terms and Conditions shall be interpreted in accordance with the applicable laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Any dispute that cannot be resolved through the foundation's internal complaint and dispute-resolution procedures may be referred to the appropriate competent authority or court.
19. DECLARATION AND ACCEPTANCE
I, the undersigned applicant or beneficiary, declare that the information I have provided to Yusuf Offia Foundation is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.
I confirm that I have read, understood, or had these Terms and Conditions explained to me. I agree to comply with the applicable project rules and understand that failure to do so may result in suspension or termination of my participation, subject to the procedures outlined above.
I understand that registration does not guarantee selection or receipt of assistance.
Applicant/Beneficiary's Name: __________________________________
Community: __________________________________________________
Local Government Area: _______________________________________
Telephone Number: ___________________________________________
Signature/Thumbprint: _________________________________________
Date: _______________________________________________________
Witness/Community Representative: ______________________________
Signature: ___________________________________________________
---
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Registration Number: __________________________________________
Eligibility Status: Approved / Pending / Not Approved
Category of Assistance: ________________________________________
Verified By: __________________________________________________
Signature: ___________________________________________________
Date: _______________________________________________________
---
AUTHORIZATION
For and on behalf of Yusuf Offia Foundation
Name of Authorized Representative: ______________________________
Position: ____________________________________________________
Signature: ___________________________________________________
Date: _______________________________________________________
Official Stamp/Seal: