JICA delivers maize seeds to farmers, another milestone in bilateral friendship

144 MT of Maize seeds for the Maha season cultivation which were procured in partnership with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was ceremonially handed over to the farmers during the special event held on 23th October 2022 in selected villages in Mahawilachchiya, Agrarian Services Division of Anuradhapura district with the participation of several senior officials from Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, Provincial Department of Agriculture, District and divisional administration and JICA Sri Lanka office.

JICA provided the emergency assistance to provide maize seeds, which is in a severe shortage, to secure required maize production within the country mainly for the poultry industry and thereby reduce the cost of production and the retail price of poultry products such as egg, chicken and dairy products for the consumers under current economic and food crisis. It is also expected to contribute to improving the nutrition situation.

Yuri Ide, Senior Representative of JICA Sri Lanka office stated that “We are very happy to successfully deliver the maize seeds to the farmers by the beginning of this Maha season and appreciate all of the hard work by the officers at the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant departments and UNDP. The successful delivery of maize seeds will be of huge help for the poultry farmers and consumers as well as the maize farmers, who are suffering for the soaring prices and shortage in the market. This year we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Sri Lanka and we are honored to make this contribution through our longtime friendship.”