In a major step towards enhancing food security, a South Korean technical team has successfully installed state-of-the-art rice processing mills in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The installation, completed just four days after the team’s arrival, is a result of the growing bilateral ties between South Korea and Nigeria.
The modern rice mills, with the capacity to process 40 metric tonnes of rice paddies daily, were set up at the state-owned School-to-Land Farm in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, on Friday, December 28, 2024. The delegation, led by Mr. Byung Chul Son, Managing Director of Dae Sung Machinery and Construction Company Limited, has been collaborating with the state Ministry of Agriculture to train local staff in areas such as soil preparation, irrigation, rice cultivation, and milling.
Mr. Son emphasized that these mills would revolutionize rice production in the state but noted that additional farming equipment such as dryers, per boilers, and color selectors would be needed to fully match the milling capacity.
Bayelsa’s Agriculture Commissioner, Prof. Beke Sese, explained that the South Korean government had donated four rice mills, each capable of processing 10 tonnes per day. This increases Bayelsa’s milling capacity from 3 tonnes to a total of 40 tonnes per day, a significant boost in the state’s efforts to meet its annual rice production target of one million tonnes.
During their visit, the four-member South Korean delegation also met with Bayelsa Governor Senator Douye Diri, who expressed his gratitude for the Korean government’s support. Governor Diri reiterated his administration’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with South Korea, particularly in agriculture. He highlighted Bayelsa’s vast potential for rice cultivation and his vision to make the state a key hub for rice production, aiming for both local consumption and export.
The governor also called for further technical assistance, including training for local engineers to manufacture farming equipment such as tractors, further advancing Bayelsa’s agricultural capabilities.
