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FAO/WFP mission wants govt. to strengthen Yala/Maha production with required fertiliser
FAO/WFP Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM), has recommended to the government to make available fertilisers to farmers to strengthen the ongoing Yala production and to make urgent provisions to ensure fertiliser availability for the 2023/24 Maha season.In a recent report, following the mission, the FAO/WFP said fertilisers are available in stock, and thus all three straight fertilisers (Urea, MOP, and TSP) should be made accessible to farmers to strengthen the 2023 Yala season.
The mission also recommended transferring the responsibility of paddy fertiliser imports and distribution to the private sector, guided by a newly established fertiliser task force, under the President’s office, from the 2023/24 Maha season onward.
They also urged the government to guarantee policy directions with clear, formal communication to both farmers and input importers/distributors and to scale up nationwide the electronic fertiliser voucher support mechanism, targeted to paddy smallholder farmers.
“Retain the crop insurance scheme as the primary agricultural risk transfer mechanism during the transition period, with a gradual shift towards a weather index-based insurance scheme, particularly for the dry zone, instead of blanket schemes for the entire country,” the mission recommended.
FAO/WFP also urged the government to initiate applied research to explore, adapt and expand climate-smart agriculture practices and technologies for sustainable crop intensification.
“Given the country’s historical dependence on fertiliser subsidies, there is a need to catch up on implementing sustainable farming methods. The mission has identified certain high-potential for climate smart agriculture practices. These practices aim to assist farmers in maintaining and enhancing soil fertility through the production of their own compost and nitrogen fertiliser and optimizing the use of chemical fertilisers, thereby reducing the needs and the import bill of chemical fertilisers,” the mission said.
The UN agencies also recommended the government to encourage farmers to transition to nitrogen-fixing legume crops, such as soybeans, in well-draining paddy areas to enhance water efficiency and soil fertility. In water-abundant regions, introduce early maturing crops like green gram, black gram or cowpea after the paddy harvest to utilize residual moisture. Legume fodder crops could also complement the paddy harvest, strengthening the connection between livestock and soil fertility.
The mission also asked the government to offer guidance and financial incentives for farmers to produce their own compost using livestock manure, crop residues and local biomass. The government must also implement penalties for burning crop residue biomass.
The mission said that it was important to facilitate the transfer of value addition along the supply chain to paddy smallholder farmers.
“During the crisis, paddy farmers seem to be losing influence in the value chain, while downstream actors are capturing a greater share of the value addition. Scale up the negotiable warehouse receipt system. Expand the negotiable warehouse receipt system to counter seasonal paddy price fluctuations exploited by intermediaries. This system, promoted by Regional Development Banks in Sri Lanka, allows farmers to store their produce securely and use the receipts as collateral for bank loans, enabling them to sell their harvest later at higher prices. To amplify this approach, consider using the government’s existing food storage capacity of 350 000 tonnes across 20 districts,” the report 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
