Divineguma gives incentives for rural farmers

By Naalir Jamaldeen

A large number of villages across the country still depend on rainwater for cultivation. Their main livelihood is cultivating crops such as cowpie, gingerly, maize, oriddhal and other varieties.

The Divi Neguma program implemented by the Economic Development Ministry gives a helping hand on a large scale to rural folks to improve their economy and livelihood.

A large number of villages in the Puttalam district benefit from Divi Neguma program. We visited some villages in the district and spoke to a few farmers at Vijayapura North and West. The villages are situated in 18 kilometres distance along the Puttalam-Mannar road.

Vajira Kanthi Perera, a farmer, said that a dairy farm is run in Vijayapura East consisting of 50 members under the Divi Neguma program. They have formed a society to make their activities easy. There are six milch cows in the farm and seven calves have been purchased newly, each at Rs. 10,000. Sixty litres of milk is collected daily. Each litre is sold at Rs. 50 to a leading multinational company. The Economic Development Ministry granted funds for the project.

Income from the dairy farm is enough to improve their livelihood and economic standards. She said that the society plans to increase the number of cows and develop the farm into a main dairy milk supplier in the region. The farm has a pasture land spanning over 10 acres.

Vijayapure East is vulnerable for elephant trespass. An electric fence has been set up by the dairy farmers to ensure the safety of the farm. The Wildlife Department has also set up fences covering the areas which are vulnerable to wild elephant trespass. Electricity is supplied to fence with a generator, according to Perera.

It is only three months since starting the farm and Rs. 100,000 has been earned. Rs. 680,000 has been spent to purchase the milch cows.

The Economic Development Ministry has allocated Rs. four million, she said. "Except for Divi Neguma program, the society receives no assistance from the Livestock Development Ministry.

We have started cultivating grass for animals. The pasture land has to be watered daily. A pumping machine is used to water the pasture land. We produce the feeds for the animals in the farm ourselves.Thusara Jayasinhe, said that the Economic Development Ministry will grant them Rs. 10 million depending on the success of the project.There are 50 members in the society and each can contribute Rs. 10,000 individually. The income will be shared among the members equally.

The Wildlife Department has done its job well. Civil Security Force officers maintain the main fence set up by the Wild-life Department, Jayasinhe said. P.J. Sarath Rahula Silva said that a cow can be milked twice a day in the morning and evening. In the event there is no water the water level of the tank is low the farmers undergo immense difficulties to water the pasture land and to feed the cows. Due to the prevailing weather the temperature is high and the cows should be washed twice a day. Only the health condition of the animals can be maintained. There is a well used to water the pasture land and to give water to animals. The water level of the well has declined by a considerable level due to the prevailing drought.

This area will experience rains after October 15 and thereafter the farmers begin crop cultivation activities. water melon and other crops identical to dry zone are cultivated. The relevant authorities should take necessary steps to deepen the tanks. Three families out of ten maintain dairy cows. These days green grass is available only in the wet area of the tank.

If the relevant authorities take steps to deepen the tanks in the region a large number of farmers will benefit and the production will also increase by several folds.

The farm is located close to Mahaveerakkuliya tank. Pahanwewa tank, Punchiweerakkuliya tank, Mahathambannakulama tank are also located in close proximity to the Mahaweerakkuliya tank. There are nearly 800 families in the Vijayapura East Grama Niladari Division.

In the West Vijayapura Grama Niladari division the number of families are high compared to Vijayapura East. "Cashew, papaya, water melon, peanut, maize and other crops are identical to these areas. Marketing the products is the main problem that the farmers in the region face.

These villages are located far from the Puttalam town. Middlemen's participation is high in marketing the products of farmers. Throughout the year we work hard but the traders who approach us with the help of middlemen purchase our products at a very low price. But they earn a large amount of money cheating us. Sometimes the farmers are unable even to settle their loan obtained for cultivation of crops" Rahula said. He said that the crop cultivators need reasonable price for our products.

The mediation of relevant authorities is crucial to solve this problem. Then a large number of farmers who are engaged in crop cultivation will benefit.

Puttalam is the location of the main fair and vegetables and fruit items from various parts of the district are brought there.Wanathawilluwa fair is nearly five kilometres away from Vijayapura.

The people in these villages go to Vanathawilluwa fair with huge difficulties. Some go on foot, some by bicycle and others by motorcycles. Those who have Three-wheelers use them for their own transport purposes.

The Three-wheeler owners charge Rs. 400 for a one way journey. "The elephant threat is another problem which should be addressed immediately to protect the lives and cultivation. Certain occasions destroy the crops. We undergo huge difficulties to protect our cultivation from animals, specially wild elephants.

The fence set up by the wildlife Department and the farmers is not enough to protect the cultivation", Rahula said. The elephants which come in search of water pull down the fences. Still the people in Vijayapura North and East haven't been attacked by the elephants, but it is imminent. The elephants are chased off by the farmers with the help of villagers without giving room to enter the paddy cultivation. There are 30 to 40 acres of paddy cultivation in this area. The people wake up in the night daily to protect their cultivation such as banana, he said.