- Expert committee finalises policy
The relevant committee of experts has finalised the preparation of the National Agricultural Policy, and Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera is to present the same to Parliament for its approval and subsequent implementation.
Speaking to The Morning, Agriculture Ministry Media Secretary Dharma Wanninayake said that the experts committee which was appointed to prepare the policy by obtaining the views of all the relevant parties had informed Amaraweera that the final draft of the policy has been prepared.
“Amaraweera had instructed this committee to obtain opinions and proposals from all sectors in order to formulate a permanent policy that does not change when governments and ministers are changed. The committee has worked on those instructions so that the views and suggestions of all segments related to agriculture are represented in this report,” he said.
Wanninayake further said that Amaraweera will submit the final draft policy of the said committee to Parliament for approval. When the approval is received, he said that the Policy will be implemented with the support of all the relevant parties, adding that Amaraweera is of the view that everyone should support its implementation as the same will be of much help to uplift the agriculture sector.
“The agriculture sector has suffered a tragic fate because we did not have a National Agricultural Policy. Sri Lanka, which was once self-sufficient in rice, had to import rice due to the lack of such a policy. A sum of $ 400 million has been spent on the import of rice within a period of 10 months during the course of this year. Officials are also responsible for this situation,” he added.
Amaraweera had recently instructed the Agriculture Ministry to appoint a committee consisting former Directors General of Agriculture, Agriculture Ministry secretaries, university teachers and representatives from other organisations related to agriculture to prepare a National Agricultural Policy. Among its members are Prof. Udith K. Jayasinghe-Mudalige, Senior Prof. Buddhi Marambe, Prof. Palitha Weerakkody, Prof. M.B. Ranathilaka, Dr. B.V.R. Punyawardena, Dr. Ajantha de Silva, and Dr. W.M.M. Weerakoon.