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by Uditha Kumarasinghe

The Agriculture and Livestock Ministry has implemented an all- island home and school garden development program for the benefit of 100,000 families and 1,000 schools under the 100 day program of the UNF Government.

This program aims to turn the garden into a productive economic unit and uplift the socio economic condition of low income families by seeking their assistance towards the country's development process. This endeavour would also be a partial solution to alleviate poverty, Minister S.B.Dissanayake told the Daily News.

The Minister said annually this program will develop home gardens belonging to 100,000 families selected from one Govi Jana Seva division and 1000 schools including five selected from one Govi Jana Seva division.

This project will enable people to produce fruits, vegetables and spices in their own home gardens and use them for their own consumption and sale to the open market.

This home garden program has been launched by the Ministry as its major component in the 100 days program. In order to make this program a success, instructions have already been given to the officers. The progress of the program will be reviewed weekly and immediate solutions will be provided to the shortcomings faced in implementing this program, he said.

Minister Dissanayake said this home garden development program aims to develop school gardens and provide knowledge to the students on crop cultivation. The objective of this program is to popularise vegetable and fruit cultivation and create a 'green' environment within the school premises.

The Agriculture Department, the Agrarian Development Department and the Export Agriculture Department which come under the Ministry have agreed to provide seeds and planting materials needed for this program, he said.

Under this program, the preparation of seed nurseries will be completed by the end of February 10 and the seeds will be planted by end of March 31. A packet of seeds which are presently sold in Agrarian Services Centres at Rs.18 will be provided to these selected 100,000 farmer families at a concessionary price of Rs.9.

Meanwhile, 10,000 Field Officers will be trained to provide technical instructions to farmers and students to conduct these home and school gardens as long term project. These Field Officers will cover all these 100,000 home garden owners in collaboration with islandwide Agriculture Instructors, Agrarian Development Officers and Agriculture Research and Development Officers.

The Ministry also hopes to have 3000 model home gardens in association with the Government officials and farmers. A program will be launched to offer prizes at district, provincial and national level to farmer families who maintain their home gardens successfully to bring this home and school gardens development program to a high standard, the Minister added.

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