February 18, 2025

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With Support From Korea, Bayelsa Closer To Realising Dream Of Feeding Nigeria With Rice

3 min read

The dream of the Bayelsa State government to stand out as largest rice producers in the country, with a target of one million tonnes of rice per annum, is gradually becoming a reality, as the government of Korea has donated equipment for mechanized rice farming to the state government.

Apart from its crude oil production contribution to the country’s GDP, the government under Senator Douye Diri now wants to contribute the highest percentage of rice consumed in Nigeria.

Bayelsa government currently grows rice massively in its farms located at Otuesega, in the Ogbia Local Government, Amassoma, Soutehrn Ijaw Local Government, School to land farms along Imiringi road in the Yenagoa Local Government, et cetera.

This is aside from many other privately owned rice farms that dot many parts of the state. A recent study had shown that Bayelsa has the best soil for rice farming.  

It is estimated that these rice farms will yield up to 16,640 bags of rice paddies that can give up to 8,320 bags of 50kg milled rice after the next harvest.

However, the state also have other locations for expansion of rice farming at Isampou (4,500 hectares) and Peremabiri (2,500 hectares), both of which can produce 560,000 bags of rice paddies that can give up to 280,000 bags of 50kg milled rice, while also working on the cultivation of 50 hectares at the Niger Delta University, NDU.

Last month, while launching the late planting farming season in the state, the governor had hinted of the one million tonnes of rice production per year and the attainment of 100 per cent processing of rice in the state.

That dream appears to have been given a serious expression by the government of Korea. On Thursday, the Korea Ambassador to Nigeria, Rear Admiral Kim Pankyu (rtd) was in Yenagoa to present the farming equipment and also undertake a demonstration of rice planting using the machines.

The items donated include four tractors, two rice transplanting machines, one rice seeding machine, 10,000 rice seed beds, and four 10-tonne per day rice mills.

Pankyu said the donation was part of a collaborative partnership between his country and Bayelsa State, adding that Bayelsa was endowed with a suitable soil and favourable weather for rice cultivation and expressed the optimism that the equipment and training of the state’s personnel would help boost rice production in the state.

He said: “This event underscores the agricultural cooperation between both governments. The governor visited South Korea last year at the invitation of the South Korean government. His Excellency explored opportunities for agricultural cooperation with my country.

“Korea is promoting rice farming in Bayelsa by providing $500,000 of agricultural equipment. This support will help Bayelsa.” For his contributions to the growth of agriculture in the state, the governor was moved to confer on him, the honorary citizenship of Bayelsa State.

Diri said the equipment donation was the first result of the collaboration between the two governments and noted that the gesture would boost the state’s effort to enhance food security and stimulate economic growth.

He also stated that the training of Bayelsans and the equipment would increase the productivity and efficiency of farmers just as the technology transferred would build their capacity and create employment opportunities.

Diri who said his foreign trips had exposed him to a lot of opportunities in the agric sector directed the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Prof. Beke Sese, to procure more farming equipment to boost production in the state.

He also called on TYM Machinery, one of the companies he visited in Korea, to establish a manufacturing plant in the state in order to create employment and stimulate economic growth.

His words: “The partnership between Bayelsa State and the Republic of South Korea is a game-changer for our agricultural sector, and this handover of agric equipment and rice planting demonstration ceremony is just the beginning.”

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