Motorcycles for vets in Vavuniya
K. Meenayokiny had never had her own motorcycle. Having glanced at
the row of brand new motorcycles lined up before her, she realised that
one of them would soon be hers.
As a veterinary surgeon, she felt a surge of happiness because the
motorcycle would definitely help her to serve more households and farms
during her daily routine.
She was one of the 12 recipient veterinary surgeons and livestock
officers attached to the Department of Animal Production and Health,
Mullaitivu, who received motorcycles recently from the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations through Swedish
funding.
Each recipient will just pay a nominal monthly instalment for the
motorcycles to their department, after which, it is theirs for keeps.
Meenayokini will now be able to attend to routine work and emergency
situations swiftly, without waiting for official transport or the public
bus.
The motorcycle could not have come at a better time for Meenayokini
and the others, because the end of the conflict has created major
requirements in the livestock sector in the region.
With livestock farmers expanding their operations, there is plenty of
work virtually around the clock for veterinarians. The motorcycle fleet
will enable them to spread their range of operations and attend to the
requirements faster.
This is among the many programmes that FAO has initiated in the
North.
A few months back, several motorcycles were distributed among
Agriculture Instructors working for the Department of Agriculture in the
North.
With the resurgence of agriculture in the North, Agriculture
Instructors are in high demand and the motorcycles have helped them to
reach more farmers over a wider area.
"FAO is working closely with the Government and other stakeholders as
the North emerges from three decades of conflict that impeded livelihood
activities.
These projects illustrate the FAO's commitment to Sri Lanka", said
Dr. Sithamparapillai Gnanachandran, FAO's Area Coordinator for the
Northern Province.
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