Saturday Nov 23, 2024
Saturday Nov 23, 2024
Saturday, 15 June 2024 01:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) collaborated with the Department of Animal Production and Health to host a joint seminar and workshop for the formulation of the veterinary policy framework which will be laying the platform to guide holistic approach to livestock sector development in Sri Lanka.
High-level officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, Central and Provincial Department of Animal Production and Health, private sector leaders, development partners active in livestock sector, and representative members of Sri Lanka Veterinary Association.
JICA Sri Lanka Chief Representative Tetsuya Yamada in his welcome speech stated, “It is crucial to have collaborations and partnerships within the actors of the livestock sector to develop the sector and to create a favourable environment for the producers and end-users to obtain maximum benefits. Further he expressed gratitude and wished that the representatives from diverse entities and organisations could materialise policies into action.”
“It was a great pleasure and honour to have this joint seminar and workshop with the multi-dimensional team of representatives from various related actors and DAPH work with Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industries to create the policy framework in favour of all actors in the livestock sector,” said DAPH Sri Lanka Director General Dr. Hemali Kothalawala.
Dairy Development Project in Northern Province (DDP NP) is one of the JICA Technical Cooperation Projects currently implemented in Northern Province of Sri Lanka with the objectives of increasing quality, productivity and production of fresh milk by introducing dairy techniques, inputs, feed management, extensions methodologies to small-scale dairy farmers and capacity building of key players in the dairy value chain including Government counterparts, private sector and other related organisations. Presentations were made by DAPH Provincial Director Dr. S. Vaseeharan and team from DDP NP project followed by discussion to share clear understanding about the project achievement, outputs, and concepts with the participants.
The second half of the seminar focused on formulation of the veterinary policy framework in Sri Lanka. This activity was facilitated by the Sri Lanka Veterinary Association as a hub of the technical specialty in the livestock sector. Gates Foundation Agriculture and Aquaculture Director Dr. Samual Thevasagayam and President’s Strategic Affairs Division Additional Secretary S.W.C. Jayaminie conducted strategic presentations on current global veterinary policy reforms and importance of public policy and its reforms for veterinary sector respectively followed by the presentation and group work facilitated by DAPH Director General Dr. Hemali Kothalawala on current veterinary policy scenario and future directions in the veterinary domain in Sri Lanka.
