National Agriculture Policy to boost local food production

Dharma Sri Abeyratne and Mohammed Naalir

With a view to motivate domestic food production the Government has declared the National Policy on Agriculture. This will be followed up with a massive national campaign under the slogan 'Api Wawamu - Rata Nagamu' (Let's cultivate and uplift the nation), said Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Minister Maithripala Sirisena.

Addressing a seminar of Asian Productivity Organisation under the theme "Beat Practices in Agricultural technical Transfer and Commercialisation" Minister Sirisena said the whole nation has to rally around to make this national endeavour a reality.

According to the Api Wawamu Rata Nagamu programme the Government aims to stop the import of food items that could be cultivated in the country by 2010. Over this attempt, productivity could be improved by transferring new technology to farmers who are still following the traditional cultivation and farming methods.

"Even though new technology is implemented targeting the development in the agriculture sector, considerable attention should be paid on the protection of the environment since such destruction could permanently wipe out the livelihood of the farmer in the future, he said.

"As the Agriculture Minister I assure that the Government will take all steps to implement whatever the productive proposals you arrive and convey to me at the end of the seminar," he added. Minister Sirisena said Sri Lanka is the only country with all natural and cultural heritages within mere 25,000 square miles.

Minister invited all foreign delegates to visit Sri Lanka and enjoy its natural beauty.