Agri boom in North

Nimal Wijesinghe-Anuradhapura Additional District group correspondent

An Agricultural Development program is being implemented to uplift livelihood of the internally displaced community in the northern province by the agriculture ministry on the instruction of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Under this, the solar powered drip irrigation mechanism will be promoted. It is a major component of the ministry's Sustainable Agricultural Water Management Project (SAWMP).

This solar powered drip irrigation system is in progress among resettled farmer families in Mannar, Vavuniya, Mulathivu, Kilinochchi, Nedunkerny, Oddhusudan, Forsight Engineers Ltd Zonal Manager Padmawarna Kumarage said. One unit of the system consists of a solar power panel, a water motor and a network of sophisticated pipes. One unit valued at Rs 350,000 is quite capable of irrigating half an acre. The solar powered drip irrigation mechanism is provided by the Australian Government on a loan scheme amounting to US$ 32 million.

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane accompanied by a team of senior officials and professionals will visit Nedunkerny, Oddhusudan, Vavuniya and Kilinochchi, hoping on November 14 and 15 to promote the productive farming metholodgy.