News
Plans afoot to increase yield of local big onion cultivation with new technology from 2024
By Ifham Nizam
Plans are afoot to introduce a new technology package to farmers to increase the yield of big onion cultivation by the Mahailluppallama Field Crops Research Institute, a senior official of the Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industries said.
He said under the proposed package cultivation of a hectare big onions will cost Rs. 2.5 million and for the necessary financial allocation, the Department of Agriculture has allocated Rs.160 million for the year 2024.
Director General of Agriculture Malathi Parasuraman said that part of the financial allocation given to the Department of Agriculture for the production of seeds has been allocated for this new package.
A discussion was held on Thursday in the ministry with Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, Mahinda Amaraweera presidinge and the Minister was asked about the proposed programme to be implemented next year to expand the cultivation of big onions in Sri Lanka.
The annual requirement of big onions is 300,000 tonnes. But by now the big onion cultivation has declined. Due to this situation, steps have been taken to introduce a new high-tech cultivation package to re-popularize big onion cultivation in the country.
The official said that under the new scheme, the Department of Agriculture provides advanced big onion seeds, drip irrigation technology and the technical knowledge required to cultivate in a way that can achieve higher yields.
At present, the yield obtained from one hectare of big onion cultivation is 20 tonnes and with this high technology package, the yield can be doubled to 40 tonnes.
This new high technology cultivation package is to be introduced in 650 hectares from 2024 to 2026. Also, in the year 2024, arrangements have been made to increase the amount of land where big onions are cultivated to 4000 hectares, and the expected yield is 80,000 tonnes.
Amaraweera said that Sri Lanka cannot be self-sufficient with big onions. The reason is that there is a limited amount of suitable land that can be used to grow big onions. But he also instructed officials and crop leaders to give priority to increasing local onion output in order to maintain the price of big onions within 200 rupees per kilo in 2024 by obtaining the maximum yield from cultivable land.The Secretary of the Ministry Janaka Dharmakirthi and others participated in this discussion.
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
