By John Oba
Rice has become a precious commodity that every country cherishes and the business has assumed a very competitive trend in the comity of nations.
Nigeria is one country that has demonstrated huge potentials of rice production as government had put in place policies that will unlock the industry for rapid expansion and productivity.
The government had transformed the industry into a private sector driven one as reputable and world leaders in agribusiness have keyed into the sector and assumed the position of drivers of the agricultural sector with huge investments sunk into rice production.
Nigeria is on the fast-lane of becoming a self-sufficient rice producing nation and a net exporter of the commodity with huge inflow of investments. Recently, the signing of $1bn Memoranda of Understanding, MoU, between Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Dangote Group on rice production gave a boost to the production of rice in the country.
Current reports indicate that 22 states in the country are seriously involved in rice farming, and Bayelsa State is one of them. Bayelsa State has been a home of rice cultivation as it has huge comparative advantage for rice production due to its swampy and naturally irrigated terrain. Vast hectares of land are available for cultivation of rice, and the climate allows for three harvesting seasons annually.
It is amazing to know that Bayelsa alone holds over 500, 000 hectares of rice land, which was added to ongoing clearing of over 13, 000 hectares of land for rice cultivation.
Many think Bayelsa State for only to be a producer of oil and gas, but the state has these massive hectares for rice cultivation despite its environmental challenges. It has been a state that grows rice for many decades before the discovery of oil and gas.
The state can generate billions of dollars from rice production alone, and the hope of Nigeria becoming a net exporter of rice in the next four years could be achieved only with Bayelsa State. It is imperative to know that the state is an agrarian society with large number of people engaged in agriculture, particularly rice farming.
Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson, has assured that investors should not be troubled as the state government is behind their investments in the state, including rice production. “I assure investors of my full commitment to provide a favourable investment climate.”
Director General, BIPA, Freda Murray-Bruce, said the agency has already set in motion the wheels of moving Bayelsa towards self-sufficiency in rice production, because the state must go beyond oil dependency and explore the huge agricultural potentials that has not been tapped for decades.
This has also made Bayelsa State Investment Promotion Agency, BIPA, through the State government to showcase the enormity of rice production potentials to both local and international investors giving a great door of opportunity in rice production.
The state being blessed with array of creeks, rivers and also arable land for the cultivation of various food and cash crops, including superb lush forests is a haven for rice production.
BIPA is making effort to unlock opportunities for smooth sail of investors and to utilise the abundant opportunities thrown open to them.
BIPA has set in motion the Public Private Partnership, PPP, model for a vibrant and productive rice industry in the state with the bid to make production of the commodity a serious focus by the state government, because agriculture is fast becoming a lucrative venture.
The model to achieve this will be ready soon for a flourishing partnership. This is geared towards a maximal harnessing of the great potentials in Bayelsa State rice sub-sector and boosting its economy.
The reason for the PPP Model in Bayelsa State for rice production was not far-fetched. The local demand for rice in Bayelsa has been estimated around 40, 000 tonnes per annum. Local production of rice covers only 10 per cent at the moment, and it has become imperative for business collaboration between the government and investors to jointly produce and meet the huge demand of rice within the state and across the country.
The state government has moved to set aside 15, 000 hectares for rice cultivation to meet local demand and creating opportunity for the private sector to utilise the PPP Model to meet local demand of rice and supply beyond the state boundaries.
In the development capacity for the production of rice the government has set a goal of over 150, 000 tonnes per year, with commercial yields of over 15, 000 kg per hectare every year.
Development of rice mills forms a top priority for the PPP strategy in rice production, and BIPA has been seriously projecting possibilities of achieving the goal. It has been a strategic development target by the government to harness the huge rice potentials.
The activation of dormant rice farms has been under the development radar of BIPA, which has to do with revolutionising the rice industry in the state by resuscitating massive rice farms across the state that have not being productive for decades.
In showing commitment to the course of aggressive rice production, the government has concluded arrangements to hand over the farms at Ayama, Kolo, and Isampou to interested investors.
It is indeed a new dawn in rice production in Bayelsa State, as BIPA has continued to make concerted efforts by wooing rice investors to take advantage and make a mark in the industry as they will definitely smile for the bold step to invest in Bayelsa State rice project.
