National Food Week concludes today:

Fallow lands to come under plough

by Ananda KANNANGARA

Agriculture Minister Maithripala Sirisena

A recent Agriculture Ministry survey has revealed that a large number of uncultivated lands is still existing due to the negligence of the owners. The Government has decided to grant the temporary ownership of such lands to people who are interested in turning them into cultivable lands.

Agriculture Minister Maithripala Sirisena, when interviewed by the Sunday Observer on the progress of the “National Food Week”, which concludes today (June 28) said that under the `Api Wawamu, Rata Nagamu’ program, all uncultivated lands in the country will be vested temporarily and distribute them to landless persons only to carry out agricultural activities.

He said keeping large acres of lands uncultivated by the owners is a national crime, especially at this juncture when the Government is taking every possible step to cultivate every inch of land in the country.

Excerpts of the interview:

Question: What is the objective of holding a `National Food Week’?

Answer: The United Nation’s Food program has cautioned that there will be a food crisis all over the world, especially in the South East Asian countries in the near future. Accordingly, we expect that this food crisis will also affect our country as well. The objective of this `National Food Week’ program is to encourage people in the country to grow more food as well as other agricultural crops. We are confident that our program will be successful.

Q: What are the main agricultural crops the Government has planned to improve?

A: In addition to paddy, vegetable and fruit cultivation, we have also focused our attention to improve the tea, coconut, rubber, cinnamon and cocoa cultivation.

Q: What do you think about some varieties of food crops which could be cultivated in our country, but are still being imported by spending a colossal sum of money?

A: The Government has also focused its special attention on imported food items which could be grown in our country. Accordingly, we will stop importing them and take steps to cultivate the same items locally within the next few months.

Q: According to Agriculture Department statistics our country imports 80 per cent dried chillies and we produce only a mere 20 per cent. Why can’t our country produce the necessary dried chillies locally?

A: This is a sad situation, that’s why I mentioned there were lots of uncultivated lands in the country. It is high time to compel our people to cultivate their lands, otherwise such lands will be given over to others to cultivate.

Q: As you said earlier, don’t you think it is an injustice to landowners if the temporary ownership of their lands are given to outsiders to cultivate?

A: If landowners are not interested in cultivating their lands, I do not see any injustice when such lands are given to others for cultivation. The cultivators could use them only for agricultural purposes on a temporary basis and later the lands will be given back to the owners.

Q: How do you propose carry out this program?

A: We have already instructed the officials of the Agrarian Service Departments in the area to identify such lands in their respective areas with the assistance of Grama Niladaris.

Q: There are lots of uncultivated paddy lands as well in the country. Do you have any plan to cultivate them?

A: The Government’s priority is to improve the paddy cultivation as rice is the major food of our nation. During the past one year we identified over 100,000 uncultivated paddy lands which have been abandoned for decades and decades. We are happy to say such lands which are located in the Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Wayamba and Kurunegala districts are now being cultivated. We have also deployed officials to identify any more uncultivated paddy lands.

Q: There was a proposal to use prisoners to cultivate State owned agricultural lands. Was it successful?

A: Even at present prisoners who serve simple imprisonment terms are engaged in agricultural activities and we want to further expand it in the future.

Q: Many farmers are not happy over the distribution of fertilizer, as they say the Government’s allocated stocks are not enough and they have to buy additional stocks from outside?

A: The allegation is baseless as the Government issues the sufficient stock of fertilizer to farmers. As you know the Government loses millions of rupees for granting this fertilizer subsidy and we will continue it uninterruptedly.

Q: The pension scheme for farmers was commenced sometime ago, but they say the mere Rs. 1,000 monthly pension is not sufficient?

A: Nearly 400,000 farmers are currently receiving pensions of Rs. 1,000 each and we have decided to increase the amount up to Rs. 4,000 a month.

Q: In many Asian countries such as India, China and Malaysia, agricultural equipment is exempt from taxes to help farmers in their agricultural activities?

A: We too have exempted many a agricultural equipment from taxes.

Q: Don’t you have an idea of setting up agricultural banks for the benefit of farmers?

A: We have directed State banks to provide low interest loans to registered farmers and land owners to cultivate their paddy, coconut, rubber, tea and other major crops.

Q: When we visited agricultural villages in the Northern and Eastern Province we found the majority farmer families still living in cadjan and wattle and daub houses. What are you plans to help them?

A: The war is now over. The Government has decided to start many development programs under the `Uthuru Vasanthaya’ program. We not only develop the North-East in agriculture but also uplift the living standards of its people.

Q: Why don’t you arrange foreign trips for our farmers, so that they could study the latest agricultural techniques?

A: Normally we send farmer groups to foreign countries and we expect to send another three farmer groups to India, Vietnam, Burma and Japan shortly. We also hope to initiate farmer exchange programs in the future, so that many farmers will be able to visit foreign countries.