THE PEAP AGENDA .:. AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURE

We will promote agriculture and food production. We would produce what we consume and would no longer depend solely on food and farm produce that comes from neighboring states.
Bayelsa State has the perfect soil and climate suitable for the cultivation of cash crops and food crops such as fruits, vegetables, maize, cassava, rice, plantain, banana, sugar cane, palm oil, tomatoes, pepper, onions, yam, potatoes, cocoa timber.

We will harness our crops like Sugar cane that is growing untamed in Southern Ijaw to produce Sugar for our consumption and commercial purposes. We will take advantage of the Rice farming in Otuokpoti to produce and market rice in commercial quantities.

We shall create different agricultural clusters in all the 8 LGAs. Each cluster will concentrate on growing and producing one product where they have comparative advantage and in large commercial quantities with government providing access to land, funding, seedlings, access to market, and Agric extension services.

This will not only promote food security but also stimulate the economy. We would identify investment areas where Bayelsa State has comparative advantage in aquatic resources, agro-allied processing, manufacturing and invest massively in these sectors.

We shall build storage and agro-allied food processing facility at the Bayelsa Cargo Airport to enable export of agricultural produce from Bayelsa to the world.

Bayelsa States has 180km of coastline and vast water resources, including rivers, creeks, rivulets, lakes and swamps offer enormous potential for investment in commercial aquaculture. Some common fish found in Bayelsa state include saltwater species like bonga, sardines, shed, mackerel, jacks and long neck of croaker, as well as freshwater species like catfish, tilapia, Zilli and other numerous sea food.

To stimulate commerce and enhance food security, Government shall revive the Bayelsa Fisheries and woo investors to areas of Commercial large-scale fishing/trawling, Deep-sea fishing, Commercial fish farming/pond development, fresh fish preservation; storage and export; Canning and processing for local and export market; and Fish oil and fish meal production.

We would revive all the moribund agricultural establishments and farms, like the Bayelsa Palm in Elebele, the Cassava processing facility in Ebedebiri. The 45,000 birds poultry farm in Ebedebiri.

The one thousand five hundred (1500) fish ponds and processing facility at Yenegue-Igbogene and others would be made productive for the purpose of creating jobs, wealth and a viable economy.