Archive for September 16th, 2008

An online agro technology degree program will be launched for rural farmers by the University of Colombo, sources said.

The programme is already running as a pilot project in Weligatte in Hambantota, teaching farmers tissue culture, agro technology, farm management techniques and marketing.

The university will first start a certificate level course leading to a diploma and eventually a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree in Agriculture.

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Kshanika Hirimburegama said that the agro industry in the country should adopt new scientific methods, with the technological know-how enabling farmers obtain higher yields.

She emphasized the necessity of adopting such methods to improve the quality of agro products and secure markets.

Most Sri Lankan farmers are still using traditional methods which are not very effective, but a scientific grounding in farming can transform their lives, Vice Chancellor Hirimburegama told local media.

The new agriculture course will use a combination of e-learning, printed material sent through he post, compact discs, face-to-face teaching and lab work, with the emphasis being on e-learning.

Farmers will access e-learning modules through a network of internet communications kiosks, known as ‘Nanaselas’, promoted by the ICT.

The program is part of the Sri Lanka government’s Distance Education Modernization Project (DEMP) initially funded with a five million rupee Asian Development Bank grant.

Courtesy: Government Information Department

The Government has increased the fertilizer subsidy by Rs. 27,000 million for the year 2009, Minister of Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Maithripala Sirisena told a media briefing at the Ceylon Fertilizer Company auditorium yesterday (15).

According to Minister Sirisena, the Government had allocated Rs. 40,000 million for the fertilizer subsidy in 2008.

While emphasizing that the Government will not curtail the fertilizer subsidy provided to farmers the Minister said that maintaining the price of rice at a stable level is a hard task when the fertilizer subsidy is granted.

The Minister also noted that the same subsidy has been granted to Jaffna farmers for which the Government spent Rs. 17 million to dispatch 2,535 metric tons of fertilizer to the region.

The Government is engaged in purchasing paddy through the Paddy Marketing Board and relevant District Secretaries, he added.

Nearly 700,000 acres of land have been utilised for cultivation in the Eastern Province under new development efforts. He said that with the implementation of the Api Wawamu Rata Nagamu Project, the paddy harvest has increased by 15 per cent.

Courtesy: Government Information Department

With the security forces reaching a decisive phase in the war against the LTTE and positioned 6 kms behind the terrorists last bastion, Kilinochchi, the Tigers are doing their best to create panic among the civilians and disrupt normal civil life in other parts of the country, Minister of Media, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said today (16).

Addressing a media briefing today, the minister referred to the failed attempt of the terrorists to kill innocent civilians today in Colombo and noted that the extra vigilance of the public can avert such disasters and reduce the intensity of the damage that could be caused.

Minister Abeywardena noted that the Government is equally committed to protecting the Tamils in the country and added that the security missions are executed with the noble intention of liberating the civilians from the grip of terrorism.

“At present there are about 135,000 civilians trapped in terrorists held areas in Kilinochchi. The Government has set up a humanitarian corridor for these civilians to reach in the Government controlled areas,” he added.

He went on to say that Government will take every possible step to resettle these people seeking the protection of the Government.

Courtesy: Government Information Department

Relief activities will not come to a halt by the relocation of NGO and INGO offices from LTTE-held areas to Vavuniya as the Government already provides  adequate humanitarian and relief services to needy citizens in these areas, Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights, Mahinda Samarashinge said today (16).

Despite the heavy pressure excerted on the withdrawing staffs of the INGOs and NGOs a significant number of organizations have evacuated the areas with their assets and staff in response to the Government request on the 8th of this month, the Minister added.

He also said that these organizations will all relocate before the 29th of this month, additing that they are welcomed to continue their relief activities by setting up offices in Vavuniya.

Speaking at a media briefing in Colombo this morning, MinisterSamarasinghe noted that this step was taken to ensure the safety of all INGO and NGO personnel working in these areas.

Government officers joining the Minister at the media conference said that at present there is an uninterrupted flow of goods and services to civilians in the Wanni through government channels and added that the activities will be further strengthened over the next few days.