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Environment Minister: Sri Lanka wastes 5000 tonnes of cooked, uncooked food daily
By Ifham Nizam
Sri Lanka wastes nearly 5000 tonnes of cooked and uncooked food daily, says Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera.
Speaking at a meeting yesterday at the Environment Ministry to mark the International Awareness Day on Food Waste and Food Pollution Reduction, the Minister said according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, about a one third of the world’s food production was wasted, and that amounted to 1.3 billion tonnes a year.
About 40 percent of the crops produced in our country were wasted and about 5000 tonnes of cooked and uncooked food were thrown away daily. It was a huge economic loss to the country, he said.
Minister Amaraweera said worldwide, countries were closely monitoring the food shortages and contributory factors. “Therefore, Sri Lanka has a target of reducing food waste by 50 percent by 2030,” he said, adding that at present some 820 million people in the world were suffering from hunger.
Worldwide, food waste was estimated at USD 939 billion. There were a number of factors that contributed to food waste. “When we look at our country, food waste is due to improper processing, damage caused by animals, improper harvesting and storage methods,” he said.
Minister Amaraweera also noted that high food consumption in the world as well as in Sri Lanka was also a cause of food waste.
The first recorded famine in the history of Sri Lanka was during the reign of King Walagamba. That famine caused by improper maintenance of canals and irrigation and foreign invasions led to massive food shortages.
“Today, the world as a whole is facing a similar threat. There is also a risk of food shortages, especially due to the economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the collapse of the job market and facilities network, rising food prices, the depletion of dollar reserves in poor countries,” he said.
Minister Amaraweera also said that food shortages had also been exacerbated by food-producing countries’s efforts to conserve their food reserves. The number of people suffering due to food shortages worldwide in 2019 was 118 million. But by the end of 2020, that number had risen to 768 million due to the pandemic.
“When we were little our mothers prepared meals sufficient for not only family members but also several others, thinking that there would be unexpected visitors. “If there were no visitors, our mothers processed leftovers. Aggala, a sweetmeat, was made from sundried cooked rice.
“Time has come for us to emulate our parents and grandparents in handling food. Therefore, on this International Food Awareness Day, I suggest that we follow the example of Arapirimasma (thrift) that our culture has taught us.”
“Arapirimasma
is a modern economic science. That is, to manage the resources to the fullest extent possible”.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
