From: Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

The Bayelsa State Government has appealed to the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to help resuscitate the moribund rice farms in the state.

Governor Henry Seriake Dickson stated this over the weekend during the celebration of the World Farmers Day.

He called for partnership with Agip to resuscitate the moribund rice farms in the state which, he said, have the potentials to provide jobs for the teeming youths of the state and across the Niger Delta.

The 21st Farmer’s Day under the Green River Project of the oil giant was celebrated by Bayelsa, Delta, Imo and Rivers states at the NAOC-GREEN RIVER PROJECT FARMS, at Igbogene.

According to the governor, the only route to achieve prosperity in Nigeria is self-reliance on agriculture and not over dependence on oil and gas which has made the Nigeria economy to fluctuate over the years.

Governor Dickson, represented by his deputy, Adm. John Jonah (rtd.), implored Nigerians to embrace the emergence of agricultural revolution as a way of realising sustainable socio-economic development of the country.

Related News

 ”I was very impressed with what I saw here because it is in line with what Bayelsa State, particularly in this time of oil infiltration that is taking place right from onset that Bayelsa must think beyond oil. With this, I state that there is no other way to go in this country today. The only route to go to prosperity, self-reliance is farming.

”These actions by Agip, not only to get our farmers empowered but also trained is very commendable and I urge you to continue with it. A good head with a good heart is what we need to move forward. Thankfully, Agip has a good head and heart and thus they gave to us. They have assisted in training and also empowering our young and old men and women who were once focused on oil as the only source of living and I am certain that they are benefitting from it today. I implore you all to embrace the emergence of agricultural revolution. We have the farms for it and the mechanized aspect has been inculcated in them”.

Governor Dickson also promised to cooperate with Agip, saying that he had seen the zeal in the company to advance the agriculture revolution of the country as well as the benefits the people had derived from their gesture over the years.

Vice Chairman and Managing Director of NAOC, Massimo Insulla, in his address, explained that the annual Farmers’ Day was set aside by the company and its joint venture partners to celebrate the achievements of farmers over the last planting season.

Insulla, who said the celebration was the second in a row being hosted in Bayelsa State, noted that for the past 30 years, the GRP had remained a continuous success as a prime source of employment and improvement of standard of living for various communities.

According to him while the GRP had also served as a veritable tool for sustainable development and food sufficiency, it has provided  the platform to individual farmers, farmers’ cooperative society, youth’s cooperative societies, women cooperative societies, agro-allied organisations to come together to showcase their products, produces and services.