President to seek American help to modernise agriculture

President Ranil Wickremesinghe

President Ranil Wickre-mesinghe on Wednesday revealed plans to seek American assistance to modernise agriculture.

Speaking at the 70th anniversary of the US-Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission Program, the President said the Government is collaborating with the Californian university system to obtain assistance to modernise agriculture in Sri Lanka and to set up a new agro-technology university.

President...

He added that the new Agro-technology University will be combined with the Tea Research Institute (TRI), among others, to work with some of the American institutions on how to upgrade research in Sri Lanka.

The President also said that the Government discussed with a group of Singaporean investors yesterday the supply of food for island nations and Middle East countries which lack their food resources. He said that this was only the start and he issued instructions to find the land for it and modernise agriculture. He said that Fulbright alumni such as Prof Pradeepa Bandaranaike are vital assets in modernising agriculture. 

He also said that the Government is focusing on improving English language education within the next 10 years. He added that he hoped to obtain assistance for training teachers and trainers from the US counterparts for this ambitious project. The President assured the initiation of this project and said Sri Lanka will depend on the Fulbright scholarships and assistance to bring down counterparts from America.