AOs should strive to ensure self-sufficiency - Agriculture Minister

by L. S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

Agriculture Officers (AOs) should work hard to ensure the country's self-sufficiency in agriculture, as well as the well-being of the farmer community, said Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

The Government would win its second war for self-sufficiency in agriculture as the victory of the first war against LTTE terror, he said.

The Minister told a batch of 161 newly recruited Agricultural Officers to the Sri Lanka Agriculture Service at the Ministry auditorium that agricultural officers should not waste time in their rooms. They should work in the field, hand in hand with the farmers to achieve targets. The Government will take strict disciplinary action against the officers who do not take their duties seriously, he said.

New recruits to the Sri Lanka Agriculture Service were posted as Research Assistants, Agricultural Instructors, Farm Mechanical Instructors, Supervisors, Engineering Foremen, Technical Officers and Instructors to various parts of the island.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Jagath Pushpakumara said that public servants should give priority to their duties. Wherever you are posted in the island, work hard to achieve the agricultural targets, he said.

Agriculture Ministry Secretary K. E. Karunatileka, Agriculture Director General Jinadari De Soyza and Agriculture Services Director General Ravindra Hevavitharana also attended the meeting.