Agriculture Minister sounds warning:

Dwindling farmers threat to food security

Ishara Mudugamuwa

The Agriculture Ministry will launch a new project called Agro Entreprenure Mission this year to attract more youth to the agriculture sector, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane.

'There is a dearth of farmers in the country to produce sufficient food for the ever growing population. Farmers who produce food for for about 20 million people is dwindling day by day. This can lead to a food crisis in Sri Lanka in the future, said the minister.

The minister said only three percent of Sri Lankan youths engage in agriculture. "Therefore, the ministry plans to attract more youth s to the field.

Reduction of harvest from crop cultivate using traditional farming practices, post harvest losses, reduction of income due to middlemen are the main reasons for the lack of youth enthusiasm towards agricultural pursuits," he said.