Measures to develop agro-tourism

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

The Asian Productivity Organization training program on planning and management of community-based rural tourism and agro-tourism enterprise started in Colombo yesterday. It will be held till August 17.

The Asian Productivity Organization is an international organization based in Japan which helps to uplift productivity of the agriculture and technical sectors of member countries.

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane participating in the inaugural session of the training program said it is necessary to develop agro-tourism in Sri Lanka as we are currently experiencing a tourist influx.

Normally foreigners come to Sri Lanka to visit places with scenic beauty, cultural and historical value. But presently, most tourists come here to see the development activities of the country. As an agricultural country Sri Lanka’s development is based on agricultural production.

Productivity is something that we should seriously think about by developing the agriculture sector. The APM is ready to give their support for us to improve productivity.

Though we are a member of the Asian Productivity Organization we couldn’t actively participate in it over the past 30 years because of the war.

The Agriculture Ministry is now paying serious attention to increase agriculture production by using local agriculture methods. So the APM has come here at an appropriate time and we can exchange our ideas with representatives of other Asian countries and get new ideas to develop agriculture.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Jagath Pushpakumara, Agriculture Ministry Secretary K.E.Karunathilake, Labour Productivity and Promotion Ministry Secretary Mahinda Madihahewa, APM Director General Joselito C.Bernardo, Ministry Officials and resource persons from Asian countries participated to the occasion.