Food security as important as national security - Agriculture Ministry Secretary

Ishara Mudugamuwa

Food security is as important as national security and hence Sri Lanka has laid the foundation for development of the agriculture sector which depends on natural resource base of soil water and climate, said Agriculture Ministry Secretary K.E.Karunathilake participating in the 10th International Conference on the East and Southeast Asia Federation of Soil and Soil Science Society(ESAFS) which was held Monday at the Cinnamon Lake Side Hotel Colombo.

The theme of the 10th ESAFS conference is “Soil, a Precious Natural Resource: Agricultural Ecosystems, Environmental Health and Climate Change.”

He also said that all countries in the Southeast Asia region also give high priority to agriculture as they have recognized the importance of managing their natural resource base which is not second to all other resources.

‘Under these circumstances treatment of this crucial resource base is of prime importance.

‘The shift in global development has seen a shift from a solely economic growth to sustainable development accompanied with conserving the environment and resources.

‘The limited extents available for cultivation of crops and other development needs exert a heavy pressure on soil and water resources demanding more productive and efficient management of these natural resources, he said.

“Soil being the primary nutrient reserve for the sustenance of fauna and flora on earth, has to be an efficient nutrient supplier. Increase in soil degradation due to improper management of this precious natural resource has negatively affected agricultural productivity, quality and environment and this has to be arrested scientifically, while ensuring the improvement of soil quality and resilience against climate change. Efforts should also be taken towards the reduction of Green House gas emission and increase in carbon sequestration while making the soil more productive and fertile,” he said.

The Secretary also said that varying management options for different soils and circumstances including the redistribution and recharge of water with conserved soil structure are similarly important considerations for productive soils.

‘Research and technological innovations in soil and water related aspects are needed everyday to meet the ever growing concerns of the sustainable management of this vital resource base’, he said.

The Conference was organized by Social Science Society of Sri Lanka, Agriculture Ministry, Agriculture Department, Export Agriculture Department, Food and Agriculture Organization and University of Peradeniya.

Prof Fu-Suo Zhang. Dean, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China, Agricultural University, Sri Lanka Soil Science Society President Srimathie Indraratne, Secretary Shifaya Maraikar and many others participated.