Move to boost agriculture in Vanni

by P. Krishnaswamy

Vavuniya district is basically an agricultural region with vast expanses of agricultural lands, dotted with irrigation tanks, agro wells and ponds with over 31,000 farmers engaged in cultivation as their traditional profession, contributing to a considerable percentage of the national requirement of paddy and 'Other Food Crops' (OFCs).

All agricultural activities came to a standstill, with the entire population of the district displaced and most of the cultivable lands were abandoned for almost three decades due to the war on terrorism. But the scenario changed after the military defeat of terrorism in May 2009, the consequent resettlement of the displaced people in their original villages and the salutary results of the Government's concerted efforts to restore all agricultural and livelihood activities of the people.

Vavuniya District Secretary, Bandula Harischandra told the Sunday Observer that a significant progress has been achieved in renovating irrigation tanks, rehabilitating roads to the agricultural areas and bringing all arable land under cultivation. In addition to agriculture, the Government's focus was also on improving other sectors including the road network, water supply, electricity, health, education and civil administration, the District Secretary (DS) said. The pristine glory of the district as an agricultural district has now been restored, he said.

Consequent to the Government's development programs, the district has become significant in relation to its contribution to the GDP in spite of the fact that it is comparatively smaller in extent. Since 2009, paddy cultivation has been undertaken in an extent of 18,544 ha and the annual production had topped 83,000 metric tonnes. Although the targeted paddy productivity by 2016 is 86,000 metric tonnes, there has been shortfalls in the recent periods due to long-drought and a Rs.200 Mn 'Drought Relief Program' to renovate/repair tanks, canals, agro wells and other related infrastructure which are now in progress, the GA said.

Director (Agriculture) of the Vavuniya Secretariat, Ms L.T. Easwaran told the Sunday Observer that the soil in the region is most suited for paddy cultivation but 'Other Field Crops' (OFCs) such as black gram, ground nuts, cowpea, gingelly, green gram, chille, red onion, big onion and kurakkan are also successfully cultivated. The Government gave paddy fertiliser subsidy for 19,810 hectares in the last 'Maha' season and for 7,454 hectares in 'Yala' season. But only 43 percent of the targeted production during the last 'Maha' and 40 percent during the 'Yala' season were achieved due to drought, she said. Only 40 percent and 60 percent of the production of the OFCs were achieved due to the drought she said.

Explaining about the Rs. 200 Mn 'Drought Relief Program' for the farming communities, she said that the program is being implemented in two phases. Funds were allocated by the Treasury on the request of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and under the Phase I implementation, they have selected 109 small tanks for 'breach filling', sluice repairs and jungle clearance.

Thick jungles have grown in some neglected areas during the conflict period and the small tanks require repairs such as earth work on canals , earth work on bunds and spill area clearing caused by the drought and other reasons, she said. Work on de-silting, deepening and repair of 65 agro wells and digging 440 tube wells has also started under the program.

All 3,785 farmers in the respective areas are being offered work on the 'Cash for Work' basis 8 to 12 days in a month at a payment of Rs. 6,000 in an effort to provide them some relief, the Agriculture Director said. On completion of the program, a five percent reduction in water wastage in tanks and canals will be achieved, she said. The extent of additional land that will be brought under cultivation after the completion of the program is about 1500 acres, she said.

The supply of drinking water to 5,258 families in plastic tanks is also under implementation under a drought relief program. An amount of Rs. 0.7 Mn has been allocated for the program, she said. While the de-silting of the Mamaduwa has been undertaken already as part of the program, de-silting of medium and minor tanks is under consideration, she said.

A youth empowerment program under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture is also under implementation, the Agriculture Director said. Thirty-one youths, who are farmers, have been selected and provided training in agro-based entrepreneurship. They have been given machinery and agricultural equipment on a 50 percent subsidy basis. The total amount spent already under the project is Rs. 3.8 Mn, she said, adding that this being an ongoing project more funds are anticipated. A program to involve youth in the agricultural sector and provide them incentives and facilities for them to engage in export-oriented agro products is also under implementation.

Last year Rs. 0.75 Mn was allocated for the program and all agricultural equipment were provided on a 50 percent subsidised basis. For the current year an amount of Rs. 3.18 Mn has been approved and 14 youth have been selected under the program, she said. A program to promote the production of organic fertiliser was implemented. Two thousand farmers were enrolled with each producing one metric tonne of organic fertiliser. Over 2,000 metric tonnes of organic fertiliser were produced under the program, she said.