Economic Diversification: Bayelsa State Sets Up Aqua-Culture Village

By Amos Okioma

Efforts to diversify the Bayelsa State economy beyond oil and Gas is on course, as the State Government has established an aqua-culture village, accommodating over 500 fish ponds, situated at Igbogene in the outskirts of the state capital.

While during the inter ministerial/Agency briefing the state commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Doodei Week  said some  of the on-going projects, Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson said, the agricultural policy was targeted at empowering young men and women, towards boosting fish production and wealth creation.

He urged the potential beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunity provided by government by linking up to the Ministry of Agriculture and the team that is in charge of the project.

On the facilities at the fish farm,  he said Governor Dickson said the farm was equipped with storage facilities, processing plants, hatchery and every necessary facility required to make the farm a success.

The Target of the restoration government  that the aqua-culture project would be replicated across the 8 local government areas of the state, said already the process of land acquisition is on in all the local governments, land clearing at Igeibiri for the one in Southern Ijaw local government area was ongoing.

The fish farm, he noted, is expected to be self-sustaining to boost the revenue of the state and expressed appreciation to the officials handling the project.

He expressed optimism that, in the very soon  the project would be put to use to complement other efforts in the agricultural sector to promote food sufficiency.

Other projects projects earmarked for the diversification of the state economy were the cassava farms which will provide raw materials for the Starch factory, the poultry farm among others