News
Sri Lankan farmers raise concerns over govt.’s agricultural policies
The Sri Lankan government has held the 37th Session of the Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (APRC) organized by the Food and Agriculture Organisation, yet it appears to be unaware of the challenges faced by local farmers, says the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR).
The APRC was held in Colombo from February 19 to 22. Participants include policymakers, government officials, and representatives from civil society organisations, MONLAR has said, issuing a media statement.
Excerpts: “As the Maha harvesting season unfolds, Sri Lankan farmers are urging the government to establish a guaranteed price for their produce and strengthen the role of the state-owned Paddy Marketing Board. Their demands also include a plea for the cessation of subsidies to large-scale rice millers, viewed as a monopoly exploiting the farmers. Furthermore, these farmers are calling on the government to address longstanding issues, such as the renovation of state-owned paddy storage facilities. Despite persistent demands over decades, successive governments have yet to address these concerns raised by Sri Lankan farmers.
“The government is distributing freehold land titles to farmers and making amendments to land laws, aiming to establish a new land market within the country. However, alongside these initiatives which allow farmers to use their lands as collateral, there are many other actions being taken that threaten the well-being and livelihoods of small-scale farmers and food producers. Despite facing an economic crisis, the government has allocated substantial funds for importing food items with low nutritional value, all the while neglecting the legitimate concerns raised by farmers within the country.
“Moreover, the government lacks the capacity to regulate prices, with successive administrations endorsing the dismantling of established mechanisms designed for price control. As a consequence, the average Sri Lankan consumer is now confronted with the challenge of accessing both nutritious and affordable food. Alarming statistics from the World Food Program (WFP) indicate that 6.3 million Sri Lankans are currently grappling with food insecurity, urgently requiring humanitarian assistance. The WFP also notes that 5.3 million Sri Lankans are forced to skip meals, a trend that poses a significant setback to the strides previously made in human development.
“In 2018, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released a publication titled ‘Leaving no one behind: How Blue Growth can benefit women, youth, indigenous groups, and migrants.’ This document emphasises the goal of promoting the sustainable development of aquatic resources to benefit communities dependent on these resources for their livelihoods and food security. However, it appears that the FAO is advocating for certain policies, such as agricultural modernisation, commercialisation, Private Public Partnerships for food production, digitisation, and the promotion of one country, one crop. These initiatives tend to overlook the concerns and needs of rural farmers, small-scale fishermen, milch farmers, and other small-scale food producers.
“As farmers, we seek clarity on how the aforementioned policies are positively impacting our well-being. The implementation of these policies often requires a level of harshness that raises questions about the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) commitment to upholding human rights, as outlined in the UN declaration.
“The United Nations should ideally function as a platform for mitigating and preventing climate change. However, certain UN institutions are now endorsing the financialisation of climate change. Additionally, we strongly oppose the push for agriculture modernisation and private sector investments in agriculture, as these initiatives appear to primarily benefit the corrupt elite rather than providing tangible advantages for farmers and consumers.
Fundamentally, we reject false solutions that fail to tackle the underlying issues confronting food producers. Our demand is for a transformation of agriculture towards agroecology, an approach that addresses global warming, upholds the dignity of all communities, and fosters food sovereignty. We call upon the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to play a proactive role in encouraging nations worldwide to endorse and ratify the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas, a declaration approved by the United Nations Human Rights Council.”
The 10th Navy Open Shooting Championship, organised by the Sri Lanka Navy, concluded successfully following events held from 1 to 12 July 2026 at the Small Bore Firing Complex,
Welisara.
The awards ceremony took place on 18 July at the Commander Parakrama Samaraweera Memorial Indoor Sports Complex at SLNS Gemunu, under the patronage of the Commander of
the Navy.
More than 900 shooters representing the Sri Lanka Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and a number of shooting clubs from across the island competed in this year’s championship. Notably, over 800 of the participants were school athletes, highlighting the growing interest and participation of young athletes in the sport.
The championship provided a valuable platform for members of the Tri-Forces, Police, shooting clubs and school competitors to compete alongside one another, exchange experience and further develop their technical skills in shooting. It also reaffirmed the championship’s role in nurturing young talent and supporting the development of future national and international-level shooters.
Competing in a highly competitive field, marksmen representing the Sri Lanka Navy delivered an impressive performance, securing a number of medals and bringing distinction to the Navy through their achievements.
The event also made a significant contribution to the promotion of shooting sport in Sri Lanka by identifying emerging talent and strengthening cooperation, sportsmanship and healthy
competition among participants representing a wide range of institutions and organisations.
He was examining security officer’s new weapon while waiting for his wife to join him on a morning walk
Friday’s shock death of former IGP Chandana Wickramaratne due to gunshot injuries on his chest was possibly due to an accidental discharge of his personal security officer’s (PSO’s) pistol. Wickramaratne, who was kitted for his walk and waiting on the verandah for his wife to join him, was examining the PSO’s new weapon, knowledgeable sources said.
These sources said the wife who was putting on her shoes inside the house heard a bang and found Wickramaratne fallen on the verandah.
The retired IGP had noticed the security officer carrying a new weapon and had asked to examine it. Saying he carried a similar weapon years ago, he found no magazine and said, “are you planning to accompany me on my walk with a pistol without a magazine?”
The PSO had then handed the loaded magazine and gone into the house to fetch a requested bottle of water when the weapon had gone off.
The sources said that Wickramaratne was in no way depressed and had attended an Ananda College old boy’s event a few days ago, had dinner with friends and chatted with them. He had an appointment to meet a friend on Saturday.
Friends and family saw no reason for Wickramaratne to take his own life and there was no evidence whatever of an external agent shooting him. The former IGP was pronounced dead at the Colombo East Teaching Hospital to which he was rushed.
Police said investigations were proceeding and an autopsy report was awaited.
Wickramaratne was appointed the 35th Inspector General on November 25, 2020 and retired three years later in 2023. He had also set a record as the longest serving acting IGP since his naming to that position in May 2019 after his predecessor Pujith Jayasundara was sent on compulsory leave.
He joined as a trainee Assistant Superintendent in June 1986 after graduating from the Colombo University. He was absorbed to the National Intelligence Bureau where he worked till 1995. Thereafter he reverted to the uniform service and had been posted across the country, including the northern and eastern areas at the height of the war.
Former Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake appeared before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to investigate allegations of corruption and fraud at the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) on Friday (17).
Speaking to the media after appearing before the commission, Senanayake said she had been summoned to provide information regarding a food voucher programme implemented during her tenure as Mayor amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis.
She said the programme, carried out through state-owned Lanka Sathosa, was introduced to provide assistance to low-income and vulnerable families affected by the economic hardships during the period.
“We gave food vouchers from Sathosa to the poor during the pandemic and economic crisis.
They wanted answers to some questions they had regarding the programme,” Senanayake said.The Presidential Commission is currently investigating allegations relating to financial irregularities, corruption and other misconduct within the Colombo Municipal Council.
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