The Republic of South Korea has completed the training of 10 officials and directors from the Bayelsa State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
The intensive capacity-building program on sustainable agricultural development was funded by the Korean government under the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
It involved training of the Chief Agricultural Engineer, Chief Agricultural Officer, Chief Livestock Officer (ADP), and the Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Officers.
Others included the Director of Agricultural Services, the Livestock Officer (Veterinary), a representative of the School-To-Land Programme, and the Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof. Beke Sese.
The Korean government also donated two farming tractors to the state government as part of its support for the state’s agricultural development initiative and contribution to its food security.
The governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, who attended the closing ceremony at the weekend in Seoul, applauded the support of the Korean government.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, Diri thanked the immediate past Republic of Korea Ambassador to Nigeria, Kim Young-Chae, for being a true “friend of Bayelsa” and for facilitating the training program.
He said, “I’m happy that, through this capacity-building training involving the top echelon of our Ministry of Agriculture, Bayelsa has benefited from Korea’s technological advancement.
“I hope and believe they will make positive use of the training and impart the knowledge acquired back home.
“Let me particularly express our gratitude to a friend of Bayelsa State, Ambassador Kim, who made this training possible. Before he left Nigeria, he also facilitated the shipping of two farming tractors to our state. We are most grateful to him.
“Based on this new relationship, I believe it will be a win-win for Korea, Nigeria, and Bayelsa State. I believe this is the beginning of a relationship that will boost the development of Bayelsa.
“I have directed my officials to commence discussions with Jeonbuk State, a self-governing Korean province, on areas of collaboration.”
He commended the Managing Director of RISTI (Research Institute of Sustainable Technology and Innovation Consulting), all its organs, and KOICA for the training.
“This is one of the ways to bring unity to the world. We do not need the production of arms and armaments, which are shipped to other countries to kill. Let us instead export knowledge, machines, and products that will benefit mankind and not those that will harm us,” Diri posited.
