Bayelsa RIFAN To Boost Rice Production …To Produce 180,000 Tons Annually

The Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, (RIFAN), Bayelsa State chapter, says it will produce at least 1800,000 tonnes of rice from Ayamassa and Ofori communities in the state, every year.
The Chairman of RIFAN, Bayelsa State, Mr Ezekiel Ogbianko, who stated this in Ofori, Sagbama Local Government Area of the state, last Saturday, also said that the association had acquired 10,000 hectares of land in the areas.
According to him, “we have got the land, 5,000 hectares each from the two communities making at 10,000 hectares.
“They have also given us power of Attorney to enable us cultivate the land”.
He further said, “the communities have agreed to partner with us in ensuring that the project is “achievable”, adding “we have concluded plans to flag off the plantation, the project will last for 50 years and I believe it will impact positively on the communities”.
“From the two lands, we are targeting about 180,000 tones of rice annually, because we will be having three crop seasons in a year”, Ogbianoko further said.
A chief in Ofori community, Stephen Ovayebe who prayed for the success of the rice farming season described the projects a welcome development.
Ovayebe tasked the youth on peaceful conduct to enable the project succeed as well as to drive more meaningful development for the people.