Api Wawamu Rata Nagamu - Mahinda Chinthana.mp4

Agriculture has always been deeply related with the social, cultural and economic aspects of Sri Lankan history. However, the growth rate of agriculture remains at a low ebb compared to the industrial and services sectors at present. Its contribution to the GNP during the 2006 was 16.5% which includes plantations, fisheries and forestry sectors. Out of the total population of approximately 20 million, 32% are directly involved in agriculture for their livelihood. Around 70% of the rural population depends on agriculture and 25% to 30% of them still live far below the poverty line. Besides, per capita consumption of many food items remains below the minimum nutritional requirement level while 30% of the rural children below 05 years, suffer from malnutrition. Yet 32% of the countrys food requirement is imported at a cost of nearly Rs. Billion 100.0 per year. In 2006 approximately a sum of Rs. Billion 49.0 has been spent on food imports which includes supplementary food crops and fruits excluding milk, fish and sugar.

In the context of the current economic situation of the country it is difficult to spend such a colossal amount of money on food imports when we are capable of producing many such food items locally.

Under this situation ,contribution from the agricultural sector for the development of the country should be increased and in order to achieve this, an island-wide accelerated program was launched for local food production namely, 'Deshiya Ahara Nishpadana Diri Genvime Jathika Meheyuma' (National Campaign to Motivate Domestic Food Production) under the theme,' Api Wawamu-Rata Nagamu '(Let us cultivate and uplift the nation) through short and long term strategies. The programme continues over a period of three years (2007-2010) and commenced in 2007/08 Maha season.

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• Api Wawamu Rata Nagamu
• Mahinda Chinthana
• mahinda
• rajapaksa
• srilanka