|
Domestic agriculture and future challenges - Part
II:
The issue of low paddy productivity
One guessestimate puts the average size of
holding of paddy land at two acres that is less than one Hectare,
with more than half of the holdings below 1/4 acre in size; It must
be borne in mind that it is not only those major structural factors
which we have discussed above which contribute to the low level of
productivity of Sri Lanka's agriculture, but also there are several
others such as low input, lack of credit, inadequate extension
services, low technology and poor marketing facilities. But in my
view, it is the former which has made the productivity of her
domestic agriculture one of the lowest compared with the rest of the
world. 2003-2005 are the latest years for which comparable data are
available.
 Full Story
The Human Dimension
Whitney Houston - wrong choices can cost you the world
Whitney Houston who passed away tragically in a
lone hotel room at just 48, was a super star who knew stardom from
an early age. She was raised on gospel music and soon found herself
singing one hit after another. Following phenomenal success in the
USA and the world, Whitney was to know the consequences - life
threatening at times - of choosing a wrong style of living. In the
end, it cost her everything, as she lay dead all alone.
Full Story
Climate Change and maximization of economic benefits
Following what seemed a very stimulating
workshop on Climate Change in Bangkok last November, I am pleased to
welcome all of you here to the second in the Council of Asian
Liberals and Democrats series of discussions on the subject. I am
particularly thankful to our Secretary General, Neric Acosta,
Presidential Adviser for Environmental Protection to the Philippine
President, for facilitating our meeting here, where there is so much
evidence of the potentially catastrophic consequences of Climate
Change.
Full Story
Running the CTB
When my father, the late Anil Moonesinghe (whose
85th birthday would have been today) became chairman of the CTB in
1970, he came already armed with the experience of being a Minister
of Transport. He also had familiarity of the view from the other
end, as a Trade Unionist and a manual worker. He was filled with
enthusiasm for the capabilities of Sri Lankan workers, but he also
had a very clear understanding of their limitations. His system of
management balanced workers’ self-management with an iron
discipline.
Full Story
|
