Bayelsa State Govt Distributes Rice Seedlings and Irrigation Kits to Clusters of Rice Farmers in Ogbia and Ekeremor Communities.

The Bayelsa State Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, has distributed rice seedlings and irrigation kits, including pumping machines and cassava stems, to clusters of rice farmers in Otuokpoti in the Ogbia Local Government Area and Isampou in the Ekeremor Local Government Area of the state. This follows the recent formal handover of mechanized farming equipment, including rice mill machines and rice transplanters, to the state government by the Korean Government.

The handover was conducted by the Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Prof. Beke Toboukiye Sese, on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at the Agric Warehouse, School-to-Land Premises, Edepie, Yenagoa. Addressing journalists at the event, the Commissioner noted that this initiative aligns with the A.S.S.U.R.E.D. Agenda of the Senator Douye Diri-led Prosperity government and the subsequent declaration of a state of emergency in agriculture. He stated that this effort is part of the government’s strategy to place Bayelsa State on the map of rice producers in Nigeria and beyond.

According to Prof. Sese, the recipients of the seedlings and kits were genuine farmers identified in rural communities through a rigorous selection process. The Agric Commissioner affirmed the ministry’s commitment to serving the people and vowed not to disappoint.

Additionally, the Special Adviser to the governor on agriculture, Tare-ere Gita, remarked that this move is a step in the right direction. Speaking after receiving the equipment, representatives of the Rice Farm Clusters, Comr. Igbani Giedia and Mr. Ben Miltin, expressed their gratitude to the Prosperity government for aligning words with action. Other attendees included the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Ebiye Wisdom Sawyer, and Mr. Kwame Tubolaifa, among others.