The old Midwestern and later Bendel State used to be famous for locally produced rice which was then popularly called Ekpoma rice. Like other agricultural products, oil wealth made Nigeria to shift from focus on local production to importation.
However, in furtherance of its ‘Delta Beyond Oil’ vision, the government of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has promised that high quality rice produced in the state will flood the market in the next six months. Present day Delta state was part of the old Bendel state

Disclosing this at Ebu in Oshimili North Local Government Area, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Barr. Misan Ukubeyinje revealed that the state government has been deploying more resources and efforts towards harnessing the agricultural potentials of the State

It would be recalled that the ‘Delta Beyond Oil’ vision is a strategy whereby Governor Uduaghan plans to leverage the revenue from oil to diversify the economy of Delta State to ensure that in the absence of oil, the state will remain self-sufficient and able to cater for the needs of its people.



Barr. Ukubeyinje, who was represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Solomon Ashe Sajere, told Ebu people that their community was selected alongside two other sites in Central and South Senatorial districts of the state for the mass production of rice, adding that ecological factors like climate, landscape, fertility of land and optimum supply of water have made government to choose these places for the rice production project.

He assured the community and Rice Growers Association (RGA) that government will continue to provide the enabling environment and equipment as well as early maturing and highest yielding seedlings to guarantee maximum production.

Ukubeyinje said that the government will equally supervise the project to ensure that standards are maintained in terms of production processes and produce handling to ensure the high quality seeds are produced in each of the farms.

Responding on behalf of the Ebu Community, His Royal Highness, the Regent, Chief Sunday Ofune and his counterpart for Ekpechor, Chief Solomon Achije, the Akpala of Ekpechor assured the government of their willingness and cooperation to actualise the project in their community.

The Commissioner had remarked earlier that Ewu in Ughelli North Local Government Area and Jakpa in Warri North Local Government Area had also been chosen for the same purpose.

Apart from oil, Delta State is blessed with agricultural and other mineral resources. About 60 per cent of Deltans are engaged in agriculture and the government is already expanding the agriculture value chain to ensure that it moves to processing and manufacturing levels, the Commissioner said.

Also, in harnessing the agricultural and other mineral and human resources into economic benefits, the government is utilising Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and industrial clusters model. There is equally the utilisation of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, engaging in institutional reforms, capacity building, vocational skill training, support schemes to students among others, He added

Temismith: Now dat have decided to stop eating foreign rice. Dats gud. Just hope it wont be flooded with stones and rat sheet.

ionigeria: Good one. We want more focus on agriculture

Charles

ninja4life: In southern nigeria there are 2 governors dat are mostly critisized as non-performing dats uduaghan and orji uzor kalu but d new gdp on wikipedia put d gdp of d 2 states at 16.7 and 18.6 billion dollars respectively,does dat mean d 2 governors are actually performing or this increase in their gdp is as a result of d work of d past governors,i need answer oo.

wilxz: I think say them don start sef, the plan still dey pipeline nonsense.

maxwello.yg:
Yay..let us diversify our economy with basic and modern infrastructure. Oil still remains relevant but should not be our only source of hope and reliance.

ninja4life: In southern nigeria there are 2 governors dat are mostly critisized as non-performing dats uduaghan and orji uzor kalu but d new gdp on wikipedia put d gdp of d 2 states at 16.7 and 18.6 billion dollars respectively,does dat mean d 2 governors are actually performing or this increase in their gdp is as a result of d work of d past governors,i need answer oo.