A march towards self-sufficiency and food security

National Drive for Local Food Production (NDLFP) :

by Indeewara Thilakarathne

[email protected]

With the intervention of President Mahinda Rakapaksa, it has been decided to appoint a Presidential Task Force to oversee the NDLFP. Crop-leaders and extension officers have also been appointed.

The home gardening competition which commenced with the launch of the drive, has reached the national level.

The committees which function under Crop-leaders will comprise a Research Officer who will assist the farmers in addressing the issues relating to cultivation said S. M. A. L. Gunatilaka. Additional Secretary Ministry of Agriculture Development out lining the progress of the National Drive for Local Food Production.

The latest development in the NDLFP is the appointment of Presidential Task Force to oversee the progress of the programmes. With this the NDLFP will further strengthen the government effort to achieve self-sufficiency and food security.

The Government launched the National Policy on Agriculture and the National Drive for Local Food Production (NDLFP) on September 3, 2007. It is expected that the Authority would help reduce the use of chemical fertilizer by 25 per cent within the next three years once the time the NDLFP is activated.

Although the fundamental thrust of Sri Lankan economy is on agriculture, it has been observed that the growth in the Agricultural Sector is remaining low compared to Industrial and Service sectors.

In 2006, Agriculture’s contribution, including Plantation, Fisheries and Forestry Sectors, to GDP is 16.8 per cent. In the rural sector over 70 per cent make a living out of Agriculture, though 25 - 30 per cent of them live in abject poverty.

In a way it is shameful that a nation which had been famed as the granary of Asia, has now, been reduced to a position where 30 per cent of demand for food is met by imported food items, spending Rs.100 billion and making it one of the major factors responsible for depleting foreign currency reserves.

The policy statement on NDLFP stated that apart from milk and milk-related products, canned fish, Rs.49 billion was spent on importing supplementary food items such as grain & fruit.

Although Sri Lanka produces vegetables extensively, it has been found out that the total production is enough only to cover half of the prescribed amount of vegetable that an individual should consume per year, 62 kg of vegetables.

Against this backdrop, the National Drive for Local Food Production is a timely initiative aimed at addressing some of the vital core issues affecting the wellbeing of the masses.

It will address the issues such as rising cost of living, malnutrition and food insecurity in addition, NDLFP will substantially contribute to the reduction of present over-reliance on imported foods.

Mapped out strategy of the drive is to encourage and facilitate home gardening with the intention of creating food security at household level. Vegetables, fruit and herbs of medicinal value will be grown at house hold level, using organic manure and encouraging food production at household level.

This will lead environment-friendly wholesome food production in the family without the use of chemical manure, contributing to the steady improving of household economy. It will also reduce the waste of vegetables and other crops during the exchange of products from farmers to consumers.

The NDLFP will enlist the participation of all segments of the populace from politicians, officials and school children and their parents.

Major sectors where the NDLFP will be launched are rural and urban home gardens, school premises, home gardens of school children, premises of Offices and Official residences and model home gardens, Army camps, private home gardens of Officials, Premises of private Offices and home gardens of politicians.

In addition to the home gardens, selected vegetable and fruit will be grown in Government owned farms and the abandoned paddy fields will be cultivated.

As a step to streamline the process of marketing for agricultural products, Government will directly intervene on a minimal basis through the re-establishment of now-defunct Paddy Marketing Board and diverse trade agreements will be introduced with the active involvement in private sector in order to provide a stable market for vegetables and fruit.

Regionalisation of crops

Crops will be regionalised depending on the optimal environment conditions in each region which are specifically suitable for crops, ensuing bounty harvest with less threats from insects. This will also facilitate supply of inputs, other allied services and setting up of agro-industries in order to add value to the production.

One of the significant aspects of the all encompassing national drive is the systematic supply of seeds and seed-kit for home gardening will be distributed and the private sector participation is sought in importation of seeds and in popularising cell-transplant technology. Under this, developed species of crops through cell-transplant technology in private sector laboratories, will be distributed among farmers through appointed agents.

In order to minimise post-harvest waste of agricultural products, especially vegetable and fruits, post-harvest technology will be applied. Post-harvest waste of vegetables and fruit has been estimated as 30 per cent - 40 per cent of the yield in order to arrest this negative trend, three hundred million plastic containers will be distributed among farmers, harvest gatherers and retail and whole-sale traders.

Cyber Agricultural Extension Project (CAEP)

Under the project, Agricultural Centres scattered throughout the country will be networked with research Centres, Extension Offices, Training Centres and private sector to ensure a smooth coordination of inputs and supplies. Web-conferencing will be utilised to communicate between farmers/farmer groups and Research Officers, Training Officers.

In addition a comprehensive data-base will be set up and maintained by rural agricultural Centres and data pertaining to the various pest infections as well as data relevant for E-marketing. Interactive Multimedia CD-Rom will be introduced to extend the agro-based technology. Already 22 multimedia CDs have been produced and distributed among rural agriculture Centres.

Agricultural advisory service has been expanded with opening up of a hot line 1920 which can be used to obtain information from the Advisory Council. The three minute free hotline will provide immediate extension services.

Series competitions at provincial and national levels will be conducted to select the best home garden among stakeholders of the NDLFP including farmers, officials and politicians. The winner will be awarded prizes and certificates.

It is the fervent hope of the nation that the National Drive for Local Food Production will boost the agricultural sector, providing gainful employment for youth and addressing the vital issues of malnutrition, rising cost of living.

It will also be a giant step towards realising the goals of self-sufficiency and food security, a precursor for realising the Millennium Goals including eradicating abject poverty with a decent life for all.

Objective of the NDLFP

1. Increase the production of principle crops (such as Paddy and other grains)

2. Increase the contribution of Agriculture to Gross Domestic Production (GDP)

3. To ensure food and nutrition protection

4. To improve peoples’ consumption pattern

5. To reduce import expenditure on food items on annual basis

6. To increase farmers’ income

7. To reduce the use of chemical fertiliser by 25 per cent within the next three years through the use of carbonic manure.

8. To expand the use of appropriate and innovative technology

9. Encourage youth participation in Agriculture

10. Encourage the use of environment-friendly and indigenous/ traditional methods of farming.

Selected crops

Under the National Drive for Local Food Production, the production of following crops will be encouraged Paddy: Supplementary Crops: Maize, Kurakkan, Chilies, Big Onion/Small Onion, Green Gram, Cow pea, Soya beans, Cashew, Udu. Fruit: Banana, Papaya, Pine Apple, Grape, Mango, Delum, Avocado, Mangosteen, Rabutan and pears. Vegetables: Beans, Brinjal, Ladies Fingers, Wing Beans, Tomato, Maa, Bushta and leaves such as Gotukola, Mukunuvenna. Potatoes: Sweet Potatoes and Milk Potatoes Spices: Ginger, Cinnamon, Paper, Ensal and Tamarind.