Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has directed the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources to greatly scale up local rice production, setting a target of 300,000 kilogrammes by the end of 2026.
The directive was issued on Tuesday at the state-owned rice farm in Otuasega, Ogbia Local Government Area, during the flag-off of the 2025/2026 dry farming season.
Diri said he was dissatisfied with output from the previous farming cycle, particularly as the state still relied on rice procured from outside Bayelsa during the last Yuletide.
He revealed the state government had provided extensive support to the agriculture ministry and farmers, adding that Bayelsa’s soil and climatic conditions gave it a strong advantage for organic crop production without heavy reliance on fertilisers.
The governor, therefore, challenged the agriculture ministry to treat food security as a core mandate rather than a ceremonial exercise, urging that farming programmes deliver tangible benefits to residents.
Agriculture, he said, remained central to the state’s economic diversification drive, with substantial public investment already committed to the sector.
Diri also called on civil servants and residents to participate actively in farming, describing agriculture as a culture that must be revived.
He linked the administration’s investment in rural roads and bridges to agricultural growth, noting that improved infrastructure was easing the movement of farm produce from remote communities to Yenagoa.
As part of additional support measures, Diri announced the approval of a monthly N200 million grant to farmers across the state.
He also authorised a meeting with farming groups and the provision of key inputs, including seedlings, herbicides and pesticides, to boost productivity.
On security, the governor warned traditional rulers against allocating forest land to herders, stressing that Bayelsa’s anti-grazing law remained in force.
He said violators would face sanctions and advised farmers to report incidents of crop destruction to security agencies rather than on social media.
“My directive is clear: by the end of 2026, Bayelsa should no longer depend on rice from outside the state. Produce locally and government will buy from you,” he said.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Prof Beke Sese described the event as a reaffirmation of the administration’s commitment to food security, crediting sustained government investment for recent gains in the sector.
Representatives of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (Bayelsa chapter), Nigerian Women in Agriculture Business, the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation and the Central Bank of Nigeria also praised the state’s support framework, saying it had strengthened agricultural production and farmer confidence.