By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri has stated that Bayelsa state has the potentials to grow rice if some terrains often flooded, swampy and ecologically disadvantaged properly harnessed, developed and managed.
He also added that other exotic fruits and vegetables that already abound can also be cultivated.
Shehuri said this during the courtesy call to the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri in Yenegoa on Tuesday, while on working visit of some facilities of the minstry in the state.
Shehuri said, ‘’President Muhammadu Buhari is very passionate on the need to grow what we eat and eat what we grow so as to de-emphasize unnecessary importation of food which constitutes a drain on our foreign exchange.
‘’ The ministry is fully aware of the peculiar situation in this state that limits Agricultural production by the fact that much of the terrain are often flooded, swampy and ecologically disadvantaged to support crop production to the desired commercial level.
“However, such terrain if properly harnessed, developed and managed will become an asset for Rice Production as well as other exotic fruits and vegetables that already abound.
‘’Some cash crops such as oil palm and raffia palm have great potentialities for development in the state, hence the Ministry believes that Bayelsa State is not only blessed as an oil producing state but one of the states that can also contribute to the diversification of the economy through Agriculture.
Shehuri stated that the diversification agenda of the present Administration is one of the cardinal policies aimed towards achieving nutrition and food security, reducing poverty rate and creating more jobs for Nigerians
He emphasized that ‘’there are various Interventions and Infrastructural supports that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) have either completed or are still on-going in the state; therefore, I am here to see these projects and appraise the extent to which these projects have been able to complement the efforts of the State Government at ensuring that the good people of Bayelsa State, especially the Rural Communities, have access to quality life’’.
The Minister identified some of the projects fully funded and completed by the ministry to include: the Mini-Water Treatment Plants in Sagbama, Paved Road Networks and Solar Street lights in different part of Rural Communities; other projects of interest are Re-stocking of lakes and Water Bodies, establishment of Fish processing plant as well as Live Bird Market in Yenagoa.
In his remarks, Gov Diri said that the state has huge potentials in fish farming ” if properly tapped will feed the state and the entire nation, and as such, he proposed partnerships and collaborating with the Federal Government in other to boost the fish production value chain “.
He pointed out that the state has planned to massively invest in rice production which will yield dividends by the end of the year.
The Minister who also visited the Camp Tukur Burarti Army Barracks, promised to complete the electricity project and energize the 500 KVA Transformer already in place in order to supply power to the Military Barracks and its neighbouring community.
He completed his tour of Bayelsa projects this morning by visiting the standard live bird market located at the Swali market, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, urging the people to maintain the project which will provide one stop shop for poultry farmers and increase their earning.