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Food Security is vital to ensuring a Nation’s Sovereignty and National Security – Prime Minister
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that, in the face of the turbulent global environment prevailing today, agriculture is confronting significant challenges, and that food security is a crucial factor affecting a country’s stability, sovereignty, and national security.
The Prime Minister made these remarks on 28 of April at the Waters Edge, Battaramulla, while addressing the National Youth Agripreneur Showvase and B2B connect Conference organised under the Smallholder Agribusiness Partnership Programme (SAPP), funded jointly by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Sri Lanka. The programme aims to empower rural youth to engage in agribusiness ventures.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister further stated:
“I commend the organisers for successfully conducting this event despite the various challenges faced by the country.
You are playing an important role in both the agricultural sector and the national economy. I am happy to witness talented agri-entrepreneurs such as yourselves.
Food security, founded on agriculture, directly impacts a nation’s national security. Concepts such as ’Grow and Sell’ contribute significantly to strengthening the production economy.
During the COVID crisis, as well as amidst the current conflicts in the Middle East, it has become evident that if countries lack food security, their economies become vulnerable. Even a minor decision taken by leaders can disrupt supply chains.
Climate change also poses serious challenges to agriculture. When climatic and environmental conditions become difficult to predict, agriculture itself is threatened. In such a context, your contribution as agri-entrepreneurs goes beyond earning an income. It is also a direct contribution to the nation’s food security and, consequently, to national security. Your talents and innovations are important not only to yourselves, but to the people of the country as a whole”.
The Prime Minister also expressed gratitude for the support extended by institutions such as IFAD and SAPP, and conveyed best wishes to the country’s creative entrepreneurial youth.
The occasion was attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation K.D. Lalkantha; Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe; Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation D.P. Wickramasinghe; Additional Secretary of the Ministry Lathisha Priyanthi; Director of SAPP Sunimal Chandrasiri; and several other distinguished guests.
(Prime Minister’s Media Division)
Approval has been granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 22.07.2024 to publish the draft bill of State Assets Management Act in the government gazette notification and thereby present it to the Parliament for its concurrence.
However, the draft bill couldn’t be passed in Parliament as a result of the Parliament being dissolved in the month of October 2024.
Thereafter, the draft bill was subject to further inspection by a
committee appointed which comprised of officials and authorities on the subject.
The said Committee has recognized the amendments to be made and a fundamental draft has been prepared including the proposed amendments.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to suspend further activities regarding the draft bill of State Assets Management Act published in the extraordinary gazette of 02.08.2024, and to direct the Legal Draftsman to prepare a draft bill based on the fundamental draft prepared by the subject specialists’ committee.
Considering the compliance of the Cooperative Societies’ operations with the concurrent socio – economic circumstances as well as the changes in the common law, the requirement of amending the Cooperative Employees Commission Act No. 12 of 1972 has been recognized.
A fundamental draft including proposed amendments based on the experience gained by that Commission as well as the opinions and proposals of Cooperative societies, their director board members, cooperative employees and other interested parties has been prepared.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative development to provide instructions to the Legal draftsman to prepare a draft bill to amend the Cooperative Employees Commission Act No. 12 0f 1972, based on the said fundamental draft.
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