The Agriculture Ministry has taken several steps to ensure food security and national prosperity through vibrant and dynamic agriculture, Agriculture State Minister Wasantha Aluvihare said.
He was speaking at the inaugural session of the International Forum on Strengthening Food Safety Standards, held at Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute, yesterday.
“Generally, we consider an individual, a household, a community or a country is in large secure with food when they have availability and adequate access at all times to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life. Therefore, as far as food security is concerned, food safety has become an inseparable part,” said the State Minister.
He said the Agriculture Ministry had been working on different aspects of the crop production sector.
Promoting and investing in research and development, providing subsidies, implementing crop and agrarian insurance schemes, input supply, technology and knowledge dissemination, and involvement in marketing are some areas where the Agriculture Ministry and institutions under the Ministry have made an impact.
“Under the guidance of the President and the Prime Minister, the government initiated a crop production drive called the National Food Production Programme two years ago. Due to the adverse impact of climate change, we couldn’t achieve that target. But there are many positive outcomes,” the State Minister added.
Agriculture Ministry Secretary B. Wijayaratne, Secretary to the Agriculture State Ministry D. V. Bandulasena, HARTI Director K. W. E. Karalliyadda, Center on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) Director General Tevita G. Boseiwaqa, Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Programme Officer Sheik Tanweer Hossain and National Productivity Secretariat of Sri Lanka Assistant Director J.A.D. Roshan also participated.