People hail Api Wawamu - Rata Nagamu concept:

Provide more lands to cultivate

by Ananda Kannangara

[email protected]

When the `Sunday Observer' sought the views of people about the Government's `Api Wawamu- Rata Nagamu' program, a landed proprietor at Bulathkohupitiya in the Kegalle District, Themiya Sumanapala said unless the high taxes imposed on agricultural equipment are reduced the country's agricultural sector would never be developed.

He said, in many Asian countries such as India, China and Malaysia agricultural equipment are exempt from taxes to help farmers to continue their traditional activities. Agriculture Minister, Maithripala Sirisena said he had already directed his officials to look into large-scale agricultural lands which are not cultivated by its owners.

"If land owners do not take measures to cultivate them, we will then encourage other landless parties to use them for agricultural purposes with the consent of land owners," Private sector employee, Chaminda Silva hailed the Government's agricultural drive and asked the authorities to set up separate agricultural banks in agricultural districts.

"These banks must provide low interest loans to registered farmers and land owners to cultivate their paddy, coconut, rubber, tea and other major crops".

While welcoming the Government's `Api Wawamu- Rata Nagamu' program, Nishantha Gamage of Thalapathpitiya asked the Agricultural Ministry to help farmers and their families with financial assistance to construct their houses.

"We visited two agricultural villages in the Northern Province recently and saw majority farmer families still living in cadjan and wattle and daub houses," he remarked.

An executive in the Mercantile sector, Tilini Sewwandi said that there were large numbers of Samurdi families who do not own lands to cultivate.

"I request the Minister of Agriculture to get the data relating to such families from the Samurdi Authority and provide them with lands to cultivate," She said, the majority farmers in our country is living a miserable life due to the poor involvement of officials and urged the authorities not to be in their luxury houses without listening to the grievances of farmer community.

Chanuka Senanayake of Meepe welcomed the Government's agricultural drive, but lamented the poor living conditions of farmers during their old ages.

She said, only a few farmer families live happily during their old age and asked the Agricultural Ministry to setup a special fund to grant them some sort of financial assistance in the form of a pension every month.

Ramesh Devanayagam of Mahailuppallama said "A previous government commenced a pension scheme for farmers in the country, I think that scheme was abandoned, because no present day farmers in my area are receiving that benefit".

"Therefore, I appeal to the Government to take steps to revive the pension scheme of farmers."

Agricultural Instructor, Dilrukshi Rathnasekara of Peradeniya said, under `Waga Sangramaya' program he directed his officials to construct about 700 canals in agricultural areas.

"I urge the present Government also to follow suit as there is a large number of canals in the country which are not properly maintained".

A Hospital employee, Siripala Kankanamge welcomed the Government's agricultural program and asked the authorities to take our farmer community for study tours in foreign countries like Kerala in India, Malaysia, Thaipe, Huwang City in China.

"So that they will be able to see the latest agricultural methods adopted by those countries to increase the harvest".

He also recalled how former President Ranasinghe Premadasa sent a group of farmers to India at short notice by cancelling the trip of 19 higher officials in the Agricultural Ministry. A University student, Gihan Maduwantha asked the Government to set up compost fertiliser plants every district, so that farmers can be provided with low cost fertiliser.

He said this system is also followed in Malaysia and implementing such a system in our country will help clean the environment too.

A Student in the Agriculture Faculty of the Sabaragamuwa University Gayathri Samarawickrama said "In our country the price of agricultural equipment is very high when compared with China and Taiwan and therefore the Government must establish a separate institution like the State Trading Corporation to sell agricultural equipment at low prices.

"Consequently the private sector agricultural equipment distributing companies too will follow suit".

She also said during their four-week study tour to China last November they were able to see how the farmer community were provided with agricultural equipment and fertiliser at low cost by provincial governments.

A Veterinary Surgeon of Bulathkohupitiya, Sulochana Seneviratna urged the Government to utilize the services of prisoners to cultivate large tracts of neglected lands countrywide which are overlooked by the authorities.

"In Brazil, the prisoners are doing a yeoman service to the Government's agricultural drive," A Mother of two children, Shehani Saparamadu said her husband has 120 acres of agricultural lands in Anuradhapura and more than 50 per cent of lands are not being cultivated due to the high cost of fertiliser.

"We thought the Government would provide fertiliser at Rs. 350 as stated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa before the election".

She however, asked the Government to provide fertiliser freely at least for Rs. 550, so that many land owners will be able to re-start their cultivations.

Dr. Harsha Colombage of Ratnapura welcomed the Government's `Api Wawamu- Rata Nagamu' program and asked the Minister of Agriculture, Maithripal, Sirisena to take action against people who are filling valuable paddy fields for commercial purposes.

He also blamed auctioneers for clearing large-scale coconut lands for building constructions.

He added that he brought a similar matter to the notice of a certain parliamentarian in his area but no action was taken so far due to various personal reasons.