Strong foundation needed to build next generation of farmers - HNB DGM

Engrossed in the sight of a thriving agriculture industry and the promising farming community in the Padavi Parakramapura in Padaviya, HNB’s Marketing and Retail Banking Deputy General Manager Chandula Abeywickrema said all stakeholders have a responsibility to make agriculture a prosperous and sustainable industry in Sri Lanka.

He was the chief guest of the 223rd customer centre opening in Padavi Parakramapura in Padaviya.

He emphasized the need for greater public and private sector stakeholder involvement and the responsibility that lay ahead of them to create a strong foundation to build the next generation of farmers who can turn the agriculture industry to be the most commercially viable and prosperous industry in Sri Lanka.

“The conflict has neglected and suppressed productivity and the resourcefulness of Padaviya.

It is indeed time that the vast fertile land and the hardworking people of Padaviya is identified, recognized and appreciated to bring out the best and to maximize the benefits that trickle down towards better prospects for the community.

Adding on, he mentioned that in order to make it a reality, a number of stakeholders have to actively take initiative at different levels.

Creating the platform for the next generation farmers to move into more commercially oriented agriculture by making use of the best practices available and the state-of-the-art practices which allows for lower cost of production and higher productivity.

Creation of opportunities for better storage, offering the best price for the harvest which is the fruit of hard labour and continuous commitment, and creating a framework enabling the next generation farmers to feel secure to continually engage in agriculture and to actually see the feasibility and the prosperity of the industry.

Abeywickrema said the Bank’s commitment to the agriculture industry and the farming community dates back to over four decades, when the Bank established a HNB Branch and a customer service centre in the early 1970s in Kebithigollawa about 30 km away from Padaviya.

“As a financial institution, HNB believes in the potential of agriculture sector, and the aspirations, the hopes and the commitment of farmers,” he said.

He further stated that this is the driver that leads us to hand hold the traditional farmers to graduate them to commercially viable agriculture entrepreneurs”.