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Available agricultural expertise not passed down to farmers
“Let’s read DS again”
Only 1.7 percent of paddy farmers here have received any kind of professional training in agriculture despite the Agriculture Ministry having the highest number of PhDs in agriculture related subjects and an extensive network of agrarian officials countrywide, it was revealed at a conference on Thursday.
Guest Speaker at the conference, consultant paediatrician and researcher on political history, Dr Ajith Amarasinghe, said that majority of our farmers have had less than a month’s training.
Quoting numbers from an Agricultural Household Survey conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, Amarasinghe focused on this lacuna pointing out that despite available expertise, scientific knowledge has not been transferred to farmers on the ground.
“The Agriculture Ministry has the highest number of field officers. They do possess classical knowledge on agriculture but have had no training on how to transfer practical knowledge to the farmers in the field,” he told the meeting organized by the School of Democracy, an independent academy to promote political literacy and young political leadership.
The event titled “Let’s read DS again” conducted via zoom was attended by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Amarasinghe said the country’s education system was not geared to help its main industries and agriculture. “Our first Prime Minister, DS Senanayake commenced promoting growing our own food in a country that had focused on cash crops – tea, rubber and coconut. He worked on tank restoration and land settlement because he knew that the country’s population would double from four million to eight million in 30 years from the 1920s and 1930s.
“He foresaw a food shortage with population growth. He found people had lost their lands to cash crop cultivation in the Wayamba, Central and Western provinces and settled them in the North and East dry zone less populated than the rest of the country. He spearheaded an agricultural revolution and wanted very much to promote agricultural education.”
“DS in the Legislative Assembly in 1925 pointed out that we had a defective education system with no promotion of agricultural, industrial and technical education. He campaigned for the setting up of the Peradeniya University with an Agriculture Faculty pointing out that objectives of teaching that subject could not be achieved by having Colombo-based universities.
“Successive leaders after him could not continue his vision and mission maybe for political reasons. The end result is that parents try to make their children doctors, lawyers and engineers. Only a minuscule number of students could reach these professions while over 95 percent end their education only with literacy skills,” Dr Amarasinghe said.
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
