Bayelsa Shifts Focus From Oil To Agric, Partners Institute
Whereas crude oil was first struck in Nigeria in commercial quantity in the present day Bayelsa State and has since become the mainstay of the nation’s economy, the state is now taking deliberate steps to score another first in an effort to boost its economy, with a shift in focus from oil to agriculture.
The state governor, Senator Douye Diri is already in talks with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) located in Ibadan, Oyo State, with a view to getting a sub-national centre in Bayelsa State through partnership with the state government.
On Monday, Diri was in Ibadan for a meeting of PDP governors, where he was appointed to take charge of the committee that will plan the party’s convention committee.
While in Ibadan, Diri visited the institute to seek a partnership towards giving expression to his dream of making the best of the agriculture potentials of the state.
Deputy Director-General of the institute, Dr. Kenton Dashell, who received Diri said in a presentation that the centre focuses on generating agricultural innovations that address the challenge of food insecurity and the impact of climate change on agricultural produce in tropical Africa.
“We are here in Nigeria, which is our home. After Oyo State, Bayelsa should be number two to us. We are willing to come to Bayelsa and in partnership with the state government help to develop the youths that are interested in agriculture,” he said.
In his brief remarks, Diri expressed delight about IITA’s interest in Bayelsa and assured that the government would partner the international institute to set up a centre in the state in order to enhance food production and generate employment for its youths.
“We had a political meeting in Oyo State today and I decided to take advantage of it to pay this brief visit, having been briefed about it by my Commissioner for Youth Development. I’m particularly interested in youth development and agriculture. So I accepted to come and begin preliminary discussions.
“IITA is well-known in Nigeria and I agree with you that after Oyo, Bayelsa should be next. We need to collaborate and see how to develop the agricultural potential of Bayelsa State.
“Bayelsa is more of a maritime domain. We also have land, although not as much as other states. But our low land is very fertile for every type of agricultural practice.
“We are however more interested in the technology that you will bring into agricultural production in our state. We are also interested in developing the full value chain as what we currently do is focus on the primary produce and abandon the byproducts.
“For me, you possess the technology and the value chain needed, which I believe you will come with to Bayelsa. We will be glad to partner with you.
“Apart from the Commissioner for Youth, the team here is not complete as this was not a planned visit. But I can assure you that we are prepared for collaboration and partnership with IITA.
“So, going forward, I will direct the Commissioners for Youth Development, Agriculture, Marine and Blue Economy and the relevant ministries, departments and agencies in our state to take it beyond this meeting for us to see what you can do with the Bayelsa State government. I’m sure this is going to be a win-win for us and the IITA.”
