The Cabinet of Ministers has given the nod to formulate a national policy framework with the participation of experts to get the contribution of the agricultural sector to build a developed Sri Lanka by 2048.

Further, the approval was granted to establish a Secretariat for Modernization of Agriculture Sector under the Office of the President.

Cabinet nod was also given to set up ‘Agricultural Sector Modernization Services and Awareness Centres’ at the Divisional Secretariat Division level for an effective, sustainable and well-coordinated implementation of agricultural sector modernization activities.

Additionally, approval was granted to amend the Agricultural Development Act and other relevant legislations to implement the proposed program.

These proposals were tabled by President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Cabinet meeting held on Monday (Jan.01).

The government says it has identified the need to increase the productivity of the country through the efficient and effective utilization of underutilized resources in Sri Lanka’s agriculture.

“Accordingly, agriculture has to be urgently modernized in order to achieve the objectives of increasing farmers’ income and productivity, market regulation, increasing export-oriented products, creating agri-entrepreneurs by attracting the youth community to agriculture and using information technology for the agricultural sector,” a statement issued by the government reads.

As such, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the aforementioned measures proposed by the President in relation to the implementation of the Agriculture Sector Modernization Program.