Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has expressed dissatisfaction with the volume of rice harvested in the last farming season and has directed the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources to ensure a significant increase in the production of made-in-Bayelsa rice before the end of the year.
The governor made this known during the flag-off of the 2025/2026 dry farming season at the state-owned rice farm in Otuasega community, Ogbia Local Government Area.
Governor Diri said that despite providing necessary support to the ministry and farmers, he was unhappy that the state still relied on rice sourced from outside Bayelsa during the last Christmas celebration.
“I am not satisfied that, after all the support we have given, Bayelsa still had to bring in rice from outside the state during the festive period,” he said.
The governor challenged the Commissioner for Agriculture to intensify efforts toward achieving food security, noting that Bayelsa State has a comparative advantage in several crop areas. He added that the state’s soil supports the production of organic crops with little or no fertiliser.
He commended the commissioner and stakeholders in the agricultural sector for organising the event and urged the ministry to ensure that the dry season farming initiative was not merely an annual ritual but one that positively impacts the livelihoods of Bayelsans.
Diri described agriculture as a critical pillar for economic diversification and said his administration had taken the sector seriously by investing heavily in it. He therefore urged civil servants and all residents of the state to embrace agriculture as a viable means of livelihood.
In further support of the government’s agricultural development agenda, the governor announced the approval of a ₦200 million monthly grant for farmers across the state. He also approved the provision of essential farming inputs, including seedlings, herbicides, and pesticides, as well as a stakeholders’ meeting with farmers to enhance productivity.
Addressing the issue of herders destroying farmlands, Governor Diri warned traditional rulers against allocating forest lands to herders, stressing that anyone found culpable would be sanctioned.
“Agriculture is a veritable source of diversification and strengthens our economy. The transportation of farm produce from rural communities to the state capital is crucial, which is why we are investing in agriculture, roads, and bridges that connect our communities.
“We will continue to build partnerships and collaborations with relevant agencies to ensure that Bayelsa attains food security. All our workers must participate in agriculture; it must become a culture. We must reverse the trend. Let our neighbours come and buy from us,” he stated.
The governor further directed the Commissioner for Agriculture to ensure that by the end of 2026, the state produces 300,000 kilogrammes of rice, stressing that the government would prioritise the purchase of locally produced rice.
“I do not want Bayelsa to continue buying rice from outside the state. Produce, and the government will buy from you,” Diri added.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Prof. Beke Sese, described the event as a reaffirmation of the state government’s unwavering commitment to food security.
He commended Governor Diri for his massive investment in the agricultural sector, noting that it had been the driving force behind the successes recorded so far.
In separate remarks, representatives of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Bayelsa State Chapter; Nigerian Women in Agriculture Business; the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation; and the Central Bank of Nigeria, among others, lauded Governor Diri’s sustained support for farmers, which they said had significantly improved agricultural productivity in the state.
