Agricultural sector modernisation program gets Cabinet nod

Wednesday, 3 January 2024 00:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

In a bid to transform the country’s agricultural landscape, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a comprehensive set of measures proposed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe for the implementation of the agricultural sector modernisation program.

The approved measures include; the formation of a national policy framework, the engagement of experts in the agricultural industry to leverage the sector’s contribution to building a developed Sri Lanka by 2048 and the establishment of a dedicated Secretariat under the Office of the President.

In addition, to ensure the effective and coordinated implementation of modernisation activities, the Cabinet has approved the creation of ‘Agricultural Sector Modernisation Services and Awareness Centres’ at the Divisional Secretariat level. The strategic move aims to facilitate sustainable and well-coordinated efforts at the grassroots level.

Recognising the need to adapt and enhance the productivity of Sri Lanka’s agriculture, the approved program also includes pertinent legal amendments, such as those to the Agricultural Development Act. This legislative support is crucial for the seamless execution of the proposed program.

The primary objectives of this initiative are to boost farmers’ income and productivity, regulate markets, increase the production of export-oriented products, attract the youth community to agriculture by fostering agri-entrepreneurs and leverage information technology for the agricultural sector.

“As the country focuses on efficient and effective utilisation of underutilised resources in agriculture, the urgent modernisation of this sector is deemed essential,” Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena said at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.

He also said that with modernised agriculture, the Government hopes to attract youth into the sector to boost production and encourage exports.

“We want to position Sri Lanka’s agriculture as a key driver for economic development and sustainability in the years to come,” he added.