By Eunice Nnachi, Yenagoa
The Bioresources Development Center in Odi, Bayelsa State, is undergoing a major revival effort led by its new director, Dr. Wood Timipanipiri, after years of neglect that left its cutting-edge facilities unused and deteriorating.
Established in 2003 to support biodiversity services across agriculture, health, nutrition, and industry in the Niger Delta, the center has been largely inactive since 2015 despite significant investment in advanced equipment.
Dr. Timipanipiri, the first Niger Deltan to head the center, told reporters the facility’s decline was worsened by challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, floods, and prolonged staff strikes. He highlighted plans to restore the center’s operations promptly by refurbishing equipment, retraining technical staff, and securing sustainable power supply.
The center currently focuses on five bio-enterprises: mushroom cultivation, grasscutter farming, aquaculture, snail rearing, and poultry production. It has a strong track record of training individuals who have gone on to establish successful bio-enterprises and has collaborated with entities like Bayelsa State Government, Shell, NDDC, and several Niger Delta universities.
Dr. Timipanipiri emphasized the importance of rekindling partnerships with government agencies, oil companies, and development boards to ensure the center achieves its goals of wealth creation, job creation, and affordable healthcare based on local bioresources.
“We have advanced bioresources laboratories that were once among the best in Nigeria and Africa, but power supply issues have severely limited their use,” he said. “Our immediate priority is a ‘restoration drive’ to get all bio-enterprises functioning optimally while working to secure reliable electricity and retrain our workforce.
Dr. Timipanipiri concluded, “Restoring the Bioresources Development Center to its former glory requires collective effort. We are committed to strengthening collaborations with government bodies and partners to achieve our vision of a center that drives bio-enterprise innovation and positively impacts the Niger Delta community.”
