As part of the Prosperity administration’s efforts to boost food security in the state, Senator Douye Diri has approved and released ₦100 million as startup packages for 200 trainees of the CSS Nassawa.
Each beneficiary is to receive ₦500,000 to establish their own agricultural enterprises, in line with the government’s ongoing commitment to its agricultural revolution and the ASSURED developmental blueprint.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Information, Orientation, and Strategy, Hon. Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku Obiyai, praised Governor Diri’s unwavering dedication to agricultural development. She noted that since the beginning of his second tenure, the governor has prioritized agriculture as a sustainable means of economic empowerment and food production.
Hon. Obiyai also highlighted the government’s strategic collaborations, including its partnership with South Korea, as evidence of its commitment to transforming Bayelsa’s agricultural sector. She urged the beneficiaries to utilize the funds strictly for agricultural purposes, stressing the administration’s expectation of tangible results from the investment.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Prof. Beke Sese, applauded the governor’s continued support for the sector. He recalled that in 2022, the state government sponsored 404 farmers to the International Skills Acquisition Centre in Nasarawa State. Building on that success, he said, another batch of 200 trainees was sent to CSS Integrated Farms, where they received hands-on training in rice, cassava, and plantain cultivation, poultry, and other agricultural ventures.
Prof. Sese revealed that the disbursement follows a cluster-based model, grouping trainees into cooperative units of 10 to 20 individuals. This model, he explained, is designed to promote collaboration and enhance productivity.
Also speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Hon. Ebiere Jones, encouraged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the funds. “Only those who plant can reap the returns on their investment,” he remarked, urging the trainees to show dedication and accountability.
The event was also attended by representatives from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Bank of Industry, and the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), reinforcing the government’s multi-stakeholder approach to agricultural development in the state.
