by Melani Manel Perera

The unused land owned by the state and private citizens will be converted to agricultural production. Sri Lanka imports more than 80% of the food needs for chilli, soy, green and black beans. In 2014 it spent about 38 million euro. Sirisena to return about 600 acres of land confiscated by the military in the north to their owners.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - President Maithripala Sirisena has launched the National Programme for local food production, in an aim to eradicate poverty in Sri Lanka. "This is the best time - he said - to develop the country, since no country in the world or international organization has resentment against Sri Lanka. Every centimeter of land that can be cultivated, must be grown. I, as President, I ask all the people to rejoice in the new state of freedom and democracy that this government has helped create, and join forces without regard to race, religion or social class to eliminate poverty”.

Sirisena then returned 613 acres of land expropriated by the military during the civil war that has bloodied the island for nearly 30 years.

The ceremony was held yesterday at Iranamadu, in the northern district of Kilinochchi. The president opened a new agricultural project that includes a rice paddy (see photo). In his speech, he said that "more than 80% of the annua lfood need for chilli, soy, green and black beans is imported from abroad. In 2014 we spent over 6 billion Sri Lankan rupees [about 38 million euro] to import food. In this way, farmers can never be free from the burden of debt”.

He continued: "It's a shame the food imports from foreign countries for domestic consumption when we have the capacity to produce it in our country." He then announced that all agricultural land owned by the state will be converted to food production, "as well as the private lands that are not being used."

Sirisena pointed out that the cultivation of home gardens represent a key figure in the national food program and pointed out that people can contribute to national development by cultivating vegetables and fruit in their backyards, for daily consumption.

The program began with the cultivation of corn, coconuts and fruit and distributed dairy, coconut trees and fertilizers to farmers. Finally the President has returned 613 acres of land to its rightful owners in the northern districts of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu, as it did in late August in another district. These lands were seized by the army to weaken the struggle of the Tamil militants, driving out even the civilian population. C.V. Wigneswaran, chief minister of the northern province, who attended the ceremony, said that the country has a lot of hope in the current president Sirisena: "Sri Lanka will become peaceful and prosperous."

• sri
• lanka
• POVERTY
• FOOD
• AGRICULTURE