Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Henry Owen
The Bayelsa State Government has procured a set of modern milling equipment aimed at boosting rice production and processing across the state.
Governor Douye Diri made this known on Thursday during the World Food Day celebration held at the Peace Park in Yenagoa. He said the new equipment includes automated dryers, boilers, and colour separation machines designed to enhance the state’s rice value chain.
Speaking at the event, the governor noted that his administration’s partnership with the Korean government had already supplied machinery capable of producing 40 tonnes of rice daily, but the three missing components—automated dryer, boiler, and colour separator—had now been approved and purchased by the state government.
“When the Agriculture Commissioner brought it to my knowledge, I immediately approved the purchase of the equipment, and they are on their way,”
Governor Diri stated.
He further explained that about 700 youths were trained at CSS Farms in Nasarawa State, and another 200 youths were trained in soilless farming in Abeokuta, Ogun State, adding that many of them were already contributing meaningfully to the state’s agricultural development.
Governor Diri expressed satisfaction that the administration’s efforts were beginning to yield visible results, citing the reduction in prices of essential commodities, such as garri and other staple foods, as evidence of growing local production.
“We are happy to hear that prices of essential commodities are dropping. We encourage more people to go into cassava production so that the price of garri will be stable,” he said.
The governor also announced that the government had commenced the rehabilitation of fish farms at Yenigue and Angalabiri to restore their productivity, along with the construction of a road linking Glory Drive to the Yenigue fish farm for easier transportation of produce.
He urged the Ijaw people to embrace agriculture as a viable and profitable venture, warning against the use of harmful chemicals in food processing and preservation.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Prof. Beke Sese, revealed that another 200 youths had been approved for training in cassava, fish farming, and vegetable cultivation at CSS Farms.
He disclosed that the trainees, along with earlier beneficiaries, were provided with starter packs and grouped into clusters to encourage agribusiness collaboration.
Prof. Sese added that during the 2024 dry farming season, the government supported farmers with rice seedlings, irrigation kits, and distributed over 20,000 bundles of cassava stems across all eight local government areas, targeting a yield of 6,700 tonnes of cassava tubers.
Additionally, he said over 5,000 bags of fertiliser were distributed, while partnerships with the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) were established to improve oil palm seedlings and fund 100 agricultural entrepreneurs.
Representatives from various farmer groups—including Otuokpoti Rice Cluster, Agripreneurs, CSS Trainees, Cassava Farmers, and LIFE-ND/IFAD—commended the state government for its consistent support and financial grants.
They appealed for the establishment of a processing hub to help package, brand, and market their products, aiming to position Bayelsa as one of Nigeria’s leading food-producing states.
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