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Paddy farmers receive 9,300 mt of fertiliser from US
The United States has officially handed over 9,300 metric tons of urea fertiliser to the Ministry of Agriculture to distribute to more than 193,000 smallholder paddy farmers in the Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Monaragala districts.
The fertiliser procured by FAO with funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is the first shipment of USAID-supported fertiliser assistance, with additional supplies anticipated in the coming months that will reach close to one million farmers across the country,” the US Embassy has said in a media statement.
“This fertiliser, provided by the American people, will help Sri Lankan farmers to keep countless Sri Lankan families fed in the months ahead,” said U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, speaking at a handover event held at the Colombo port. “I know that fertiliser alone will not meet all of Sri Lanka’s needs, but this assistance is just one aspect of the United States’ much greater investment in and support for the people and government of Sri Lanka at this challenging time. In total, we’ve announced over $240 million in new assistance and additional loans for small businesses over the last year – and we’ll keep at it. Assistance like today’s fertiliser demonstrates America’s goodwill and true commitment to the people of Sri Lanka.”
“Sri Lankan paddy farmers are capable of feeding the country and we are working to ensure that they have the inputs needed to support their livelihood and strengthen the food security of the country. We thank the U.S. government and FAO for their support in ensuring that vulnerable farmers receive essential fertiliser free of charge,” said Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amaraweera.
The United States, through USAID, has provided $46 million in funding to procure essential fertiliser to increase paddy production and avert a food crisis – a portion of which arrived today. This funding will also provide cash assistance to small-holder farmers who have suffered due to low yields over the last two agricultural seasons and on account of the prevailing economic crisis. USAID and its partners have mechanisms in place to monitor and evaluate their work, ensuring that assistance reaches its intended recipients and benefits the vulnerable farming households.
“We are delivering on a commitment we made to reach small-holder paddy farmers with much-needed fertiliser during the planting season to increase their yield and harvests. This is part of our support to Sri Lankans during this complex emergency to ensure they lead healthier and more productive lives”, said Änjali Kaur, USAID’s Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Asia Bureau, who is currently visiting Sri Lanka.
“As FAO, we believe that saving livelihoods saves lives. The 9,300 tons of Urea procured through USAID will ensure smallholder farmers take to productive agriculture practices and are able to meet their food and nutrition requirements in these extremely difficult days the country faces. We thank the U.S. Government for its support in this endeavour and look forward to working with USAID in taking Sri Lankan agriculture forward” stated Vimlendra Sharan, Country Director of FAO.
Yesterday’s handover ceremony was attended by the United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung; Sri Lanka’s Minister of Agriculture (MoA), Mahinda Amaraweera; USAID’s Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia, Anjali Kaur; FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Mr Vimlendra Sharan; and USAID Mission Director for Sri Lanka and Maldives, Gabriel Grau.
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
