In a recent directive, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed relevant officials to develop a national program that integrates both public and private sectors, aiming for a successful agriculture modernization initiative in Sri Lanka.
President Wickremesinghe emphasized the need for collaboration between public and private institutions to overcome delays caused by separate operations despite annual budget allocations at national, provincial, and local levels. During a progress review meeting of the Agriculture Modernization Program at the Presidential Secretariat, he stressed the significance of garnering support from public and private agricultural research institutes and the university system to address challenges in program implementation.
The President underscored the necessity of formulating a national program aligning with government policies and effectively implementable at the grassroots level. He directed officials to promptly initiate the 26 related projects.
President Wickremesinghe highlighted the collaborative effort required from both public and private sectors, as well as small and medium-scale agricultural entrepreneurs, expressing his ultimate goal of establishing an agricultural export economy.
Senior Professor Gamini Senanayake briefed the President on the Agriculture Modernization Project’s progress, emphasizing the need to elevate agriculture to a commercial level, safeguard agro-biodiversity, and promote land ownership among individuals engaged in agricultural activities.
Senanayake proposed the establishment of a Cabinet Sub-Committee, chaired by the President, to address obstacles and limitations in implementing the agriculture modernization program. He mentioned the commencement of pilot projects in 26 Divisional Secretariats across all 25 districts, with each receiving LKR 25 million for agricultural modernization. Project proposals from all selected divisional secretariats have already been received.
Key figures such as Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayaka, Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake, and other government officials, including heads of line ministries, departments, and representatives from the private sector in agriculture, participated in the discussion.
