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| Saturday, 25 September 2004 |
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by Uditha Kumarasinghe The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has pledged to grant Rs.2750 million to the Agriculture Ministry towards its projects formulated to uplift the socio-economic conditions of the farmer community. The IFAD has made this guarantee to Agriculture and Lands Deputy Minister Bimal Ratnayake and Ministry Secretary Tissa Warnasuriya who visited Italy recently on the invitation of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The Ministry utilising this money will implement several agriculture projects to minimise poverty among rural farmers in Badulla, Moneragala, Kurunegala and Anuradhapura districts and renovate 700 small scale tanks and anicuts, a Ministry spokesman told the Daily News. The Ministry will implement these proposed projects for 10 years with the aim of eradicating poverty among farmers in these four districts. The Ministry will also allocate these funds to conserve soil and water resources and develop infrastructure facilities for agriculture. In addition, the Ministry will also use this money to provide facilities required for small scale industries to minimise unemployment and poverty in rural areas, he said. FAO and IFAD officials held extensive discussions with the Deputy Minister and Ministry Secretary on the Sri Lankan agriculture sector. IFAD extends assistance to alleviate poverty among the poorest of the poor. During their bilateral talks, IFAD has signed a draft document with Deputy Minister Ratnayake to provide funds to the Agriculture Ministry, he said. |
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