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Lanka has highest life expectancy rate

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

Sri Lanka has the highest life expectancy rate (72 years) among its South Asian neighbours while ranking second in the adult literacy rate which is 91.6 per cent behind Maldives (96.7 per cent).

According to the report of the Human Development in South Asia 2002 released yesterday, Sri Lanka has also recorded the lowest infant mortality rate which stands at 17 deaths per 1000 live births in contrast to India's 69 deaths and 85 deaths in Pakistan. The country is also leading in the GDP per capita growth rate at 4.3 per cent ahead of Bangladesh 4.1 per cent, Nepal and Bhutan 3.9 per cent, Maldives 2.3 per cent, India 2.0 per cent and Pakistan 1.9 per cent.

Sri Lanka also recorded the lowest annual population growth rate between 1995 and 2000 which stood at 1.1 per cent while the Maldives recorded largest population growth of 3.7 per cent during the same period.

According to the report Sri Lanka's GNP per capita of 850 US$ is only second to Maldives (1960 US$).

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) together with the Mahbub ul Haq Human Development Centre launched the Human Development in South Asia 2002 report at the Hotel Galadari yesterday.

The report is about the most important economic sectors in South Asia's agriculture and its link to human development. It is about the livelihoods of the vast majority of South Asians and how those livelihoods are being wiped out by the winds of change. Its theme this year is "Agriculture and Rural Development in South Asia."

Delivering the Keynote Address Visiting Senior Fellow, Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya Dr.Nimal Sanderatne said as one of the important contributions, the report has redefined the role of the agriculture in the present economic and social context of the region.

The important point that this report makes is that the agricultural sector has a very significant role to play increasing household food security and the reduction of poverty.

Dr.Sanderatne said one of the important aspects of the report is the paradox of South Asia's achievement in human development and the gross inadequacies despite what we achieved. This paradox provides the backdrop to the message of the Human Development in South Asia 2002 report.

" In a situation where over 500 million people live in absolute poverty, the overall economic growth of the agriculture is around 5 per cent in the last decade. Of these 500 million people, 300 million are estimated to be malnourished. Forty per cent of the world's poor live in South Asia."

The report also observes that there has been a higher rate of agricultural and population growth in the region. But it has failed to reduce poverty. During this decade, the number living below the poverty has increased from 495 million to 530 million, he said.

He said the report points out that there has been inadequate policy attention and negative impacts of agricultural development on the environment. Agricultural research and extension has been inadequate while agricultural marketing systems have been ineffective and inefficient.

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