Agriculture Sector Modernization Project to enhance farmer production

A new programme was started yesterday (4) for farmers growing crops under the Agriculture Sector Modernization Project (ASMP) under the Agriculture Ministry to improve the quality of their products through advanced technology, training, market and value chain process.

The programme was chaired by Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and was held at the Ministry. Many representatives representing UNIDO, United Nations Food and Agriculture Programme, BESPA (Best Standards Practices for Agri – Sector Development) and the World Bank participated in the event.

Under this scheme, farmers are given basic training on new knowledge, technical methods, financial facilities and market identification for their crops. The coordination of these activities is done by the Agriculture Sector Modernization Project.

Under this project, youth farming companies are established, and 60 such farming companies are currently established across the island.

Those farming companies will carry out related production activities and they will be given special training on carrying out the value chain process.

The equipment sets for training were distributed to the farming companies by Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera. International Chief Advisor of UNIDO Dr. Jairo Andres Villamil Diaz, representative of the World Bank John Keyzer, Ministry Secretary Gunadasa Samarasinghe, Agriculture Sector Modernization Project Director Dr. Rohan Perera participated.

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that in order to attract the youths to the agricultural sector, it is necessary to instill confidence in the youth that this sector can generate income. The Minister also said that he believes that the agriculture sector’s modernization project will instill that confidence in the youth through the new programme.

The Minister further said: “I received a text message on my phone yesterday. It was sent by a young farmer from Tirappane area. The young man used to work in the Government sector and then left it to cultivate chillies. He has used modern agricultural technology for chilli cultivation. He had said that he got an income of 6.5 million rupees from half an acre in six months. And he had mentioned that the harvest is still going on.

“Today, a young farmer, who is participating in this event, presented his ideas in English very well. We need such young people. Now, 80 percent of the people working in agriculture in our country are over 50-years-old. Only about 20 percent are young people.

“The young people do not come to farming because agriculture in our country is still at subsistence level. Young people do not believe that farming can earn income in our country.

Rebuilding that trust should be done through projects like this, agriculture sector modernization project.”

The Minister also mentioned that the Government will take steps to provide support whenever necessary.

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