PR-29

A delegation of Indian agricultural experts comprising officials from the Indian Ministry of Agriculture, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and various State Agricultural Universities visited Sri Lanka from 16-19 September 2009. The visit took place in the context of India’s commitment towards reconstruction and development efforts, particularly the revival of agriculture, in Northern Sri Lanka.

During the visit, the delegation met with officials of the Ministry of Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services, the Ministry of Nation Building and the Sri Lankan Council for Agricultural Research Policy. The delegation also called on Hon. Basil Rajapaksa, Senior Presidential Advisor and Chairman of the Northern Reconstruction Task Force, as well as Hon. Hemakumara Nanayakkara, Minister of Agriculture (Non Cabinet). The delegation also visited Vavuniya for discussions with provincial officials connected to agriculture and to assess other possibilities for cooperation and assistance.

The Indian experts and their Sri Lankan counterparts discussed and identified a number of possible areas for mutually beneficial cooperation. In particular, specific issues concerning the restoration of livelihood and the requirements of the internally displaced persons in the context of their resettlement in places of their original habitation were discussed. The possibilities of cooperation in the provision of seeds for the upcoming Maha and Yala seasons, supply of agricultural equipment, vocational training, sea- based livelihood activities, exchange of experts, restoration of agrarian service centres, revival of fruit orchards and plantations, etc., were discussed. In addition, the prospects of cooperation over the longer term in human resources development and capacity building in the field of agriculture and fisheries were also discussed in detail.

The Government of India will carefully and urgently consider the report of the delegation and propose areas for short, medium and long term cooperation to the Government of Sri Lanka in the field of agriculture revival in the North. The overall objective of the cooperation remains the rehabilitation of the displaced people in Northern Sri Lanka and to enable them to resume a life of normalcy with food and livelihood security.

Colombo