Stakeholders in Bayelsa State’s agricultural sector gathered at the Federal Secretariat Complex in Yenagoa for a one-day forum focused on expanding the non-oil export economy through cassava development.
The event, themed “Building a sustainable cassava value chain for export growth,” was organized by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Bayelsa Coordinating Office in collaboration with the State Committee on Export Promotion.
Declaring the programme open, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Ebieri Jones, praised Governor Douye Diri for creating an enabling environment for agriculture. Speaking ahead of the World Food Day celebrations, he urged beneficiaries to form cooperatives and leverage the opportunity to add value to their enterprises.
Corroborating his stance, the Permanent Secretary and Chairperson of the State Committee on Export Promotion, Mrs. Bomote Zacchaeus, stressed the importance of encouraging farmers to cultivate specific cassava varieties tailored to supply industrial outfits, such as the Ebedebiri Starch Factory.
Earlier in an address of welcome, the Coordinator of the NEPC Bayelsa Office, Mrs. Sylvia Adeneye, noted that cassava remains one of Nigeria’s most vital agricultural commodities, holding massive potential for food security, job creation, industrialization, and foreign exchange earnings.
She however stated that beyond its traditional use as food, cassava could be processed into various value added products and other industrial raw materials that serve both domestic and international markets.
Representing the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Director of Services, Mr. Josiah Alvan, expressed delight at the initiative, projecting a bumper harvest for the state in the coming farming season.
On her part, the President of the Nigerian Women in Agriculture Society, Bayelsa State chapter, Ebimotimi Leghemo, highlighted the critical need to link cassava farmers with ready markets to ensure their long-term growth and sustainability.
The event featured a technical session on good agricultural practices, organic fertilizer application, and integrated pest management to boost yields. The high point of the program was the distribution of agricultural intervention items, including improved cassava stems, to participating farmer groups.
