THE Northern Development Program has supported 1582 income generating projects in the north valued at $9.8million.
NDP manager Waisea Tuidama said the program is improving livelihoods in the North.
Mr Tuidama said within their five years of operations, they had received a 3308 applications for small business projects from the three provinces of Cakaudrove, Bua and Macuata.
"To date, we have approved 2842 small business assistance applications which is 85 per cent of the total applications that we have received so far," Mr Tuidama said.
"We are urging people who are planning to set up income-generating projects to make good use of the opportunity and apply for our assistance.
"Compared to the bank, the money that we give as assistance does not have to be paid back to us in full and people in the North should take advantage of the conditions available through the NDP," he said.
Mr Tuidama said they provided monetary assistance for the establishment of livestock, sugarcane, dalo, tavioka and small business projects.
"NDP has also generated 5224 forms of informal employment in the North which is 8.1 per cent of the population in Vanua Levu with reference to the 2007 population census.
"This is a small number compared to the assistance that we have that needs to be used up for income-generating projects for people in Vanua Levu," he said.