News
MONLAR rejects proposed National Agricultural Policy
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) yesterday alleged that the proposed National Agricultural Policy put forth by the Ministry of Agriculture had failed to address the concerns of Sri Lankan small scale farmers, which amounts to 90% of the country’s food producers.
Moderator of MONLAR, Chinthaka Rajapakshe said that the policy did not focus on livestock development. It was a serious concern as livestock was an important part of agriculture and especially sustainable agriculture.
“In the last few weeks, a high powered committee too had been appointed to transform our economy into a sustainable one. However, the proposed Agricultural Policy has not even made any substantial proposals on sustainable agriculture. This is the problem with our governments, successive regimes have tried to implement mutually exclusive policies at the same time,” Rajapakshe said.
MONLAR believes that any National Agricultural Policy must give priority to addressing issues such as the country’s overdependence on food imports, the dwindling health and nutrition of farmers (for example CKDu, other non-communicable diseases and malnutrition,) high indebtedness and the landlessness, human – wild animal conflict and bad institutional support to farmers. Unfortunately, the proposed National Agricultural Policy has completely ignored these and has proposed market-based mechanisms that will only make matters worse.
“Successive Sri Lankan governments have signed several agreements with the World Trade Organization. These have led to serious issues in the sector. Instead of learning from the past mistakes, the government is planning to sign more bilateral and multilateral agreements that will further challenge the sustainability of Sri Lankan agriculture. However, the proposed National Agricultural Policy does not look at these future challenges,” Rajapakshe said.
Sri Lanka’s National Policy on Climate Change, National Environmental Policy and Strategies, National Wetland Policy and Strategies, Sri Lanka’s Forest Policy and its Land Use Policies should be linked with a successful National Agricultural Policy. However, none of them had been considered when drafting the National Agricultural Policy, he said.
The MONLAR moderator added that “Women play an important role in the production of food by small holders. The role played by the women are important in ensuring regional development, ensuring food sovereignty at the regional level and when disasters strike. Their contribution is also vital for the development of the national economy.
“However, none of our agricultural policies recognize that the woman is an equal partner in agriculture. Thus, they face a lot of discrimination in the policy formulation. There are many land laws that are discriminatory towards women, i.e. land development ordinance. They also face difficulties in accessing agricultural subsidies and insurance schemes. Women in agriculture also find it difficult to access the market and access technologies. Due to the above mentioned factors, women in agriculture face a great deal of difficulties and are vulnerable to various actors. The proposed National Agricultural Policy too suffers from the same weakness,” he said.
The proposed National Agricultural Policy speaks in length about the need for public – private partnerships in agriculture. However, the last four decades show that this approach would not be beneficial to small scale producers, consumers, and our natural resources. By continuing with this same failed policy, the proposed National Agricultural Policy can only make matters worse, he said.
“Most Sri Lankan farmers are indebted. This is an indication of the failure of existing agricultural loan insurance schemes. Leasing and loan schemes have also been used to make the farmer buy agricultural equipment, which are not being used optimally. The proposed National Agricultural Policy has not paid attention to strengthening the economy of small holders that would automatically address the social issues created by indebtedness. Given these MONLAR has no option but to reject this draft policy in whole,” he said.
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Landslide RED warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions of Ududumbara, Nildadndahinna and Walapane
The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued RED warnings to the districts of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya for the next 24 hours effective from 0900 hrs today [09th January].
Accordingly,
LEVEL III RED landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Ududumbara in the Kandy district, and Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya district.
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Wilgamuwa in the Matale district, and Mathurata and Hanguranketha in the Nuwara Eliya district.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Welimada, Kandaketiya, Badulla, Meegahakiwula, Hali_Ela, Passara and Lunugala in the Badulla district, Minipe in the Kandy district, Ambanganga Korale, Ukuwela, Rattota, Naula and Laggala_Pallegama in the Matale district, and Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district.
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A Policy is being formulated to ensure Child Protection in the use of Technology — Prime Minister
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that a policy is currently being formulated to ensure child protection in the use of technology.
The Prime Minister made this statement on Thursday (08) in Kandy while briefing the Most Venerable Mahanayake Theros of the Asgiriya and Malwathu Chapters on the issue that has arisen regarding the Grade 6 English module. Thereafter, printed copies of all modules were presented to the Mahanayake Theros.
Earlier on Thursday (08), the Prime Minister visited the Malwathu Viharaya in Kandy and met the Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Nayaka Thero, the Mahanayake of the Malwathu Chapter, where she explained the error that had occurred in the first print run of the English module for Grade 6 .
The Mahanayake Theros emphasized that education is a sensitive subject and that such matters should be handled with greater sensitivity and proper oversight. They further advised that a formal investigation should be conducted and that education reforms should be carried forward in a systematic manner.
Subsequently, the Prime Minister visited the Asgiriya Maha Viharaya and met the Most Venerable Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Mahanayaka Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter, where she clarified the error related to the English module.
The Mahanayake Thero noted that education reforms are a timely necessity and should be implemented with due oversight and careful review and also pointed out that there are broader issues in Sri Lanka regarding the use of technology, which are evident in the manner in which modern tools such as AI technologies are being used on social media.
Clarifying the issue Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further stated,
“We have appointed a committee to look into this issue, and based on the recommendations of the National Institute of Education (NIE), steps were taken to remove the relevant lesson. In addition, all printed copies of the relevant module have been stamped, and no module has been distributed to schoolchildren. A formal investigation into this matter has been initiated by the Ministry, and a complaint has also been lodged with the Criminal Investigation Department.
At the same time, we are in the process of formulating a policy on child protection in the use of technology”.
Thereafter, addressing the media and responding to the’ questions raised by journalists, the Prime Minister stated:
“The Opposition is attempting to use this national task for their own political advantage. However, many in society have expressed their views on the issues that have arisen in a positive manner, with the objective of identifying and correcting mistakes. The government has decided to move forward with education reforms by recognizing the error that have occurred and rectifying them. We will take the no-confidence motion brought by the Opposition as an opportunity to further advance dialogue on education reforms”
The occasion was graced by the Most Venerable Anunayaka Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter, Venerable Narampanawe Ananda Nayaka Thero; Deputy Registrar of the Asgiriya Chapter, Venerable Muruddeniye Dhammarakkhita Thero; Deputy Registrar of the Malwathu Chapter, Venerable Mahawela Rathanapala Thero; Members of Parliament Thushari Jayasinghe and Thanura Dissanayake; Mayor of Kandy Chandrasiri Wijenayake; Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa; and Secretary to the Ceylon Teachers’ Union in Central Province D. D. Wimalaweera.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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The deep depression to the South-east of Sri Lanka is likely to intensify in to a cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours
A RED warning for a deep depression to the South-east of Sri Lanka has been issued at 01.00 a.m. on 09 January 2026 for the period until 01.00 a.m. 10 January 2026 by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre, of the Department of Meteorology.
The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka (At 01:00 a.m. on Jan 9th, 2026 located about 200 km East of Pottuvil) is very likely to intensify further and move west-northwestwards towards the coast of Sri Lanka between Pottuvil and Trincomalee in the evening today (9th January 2026.) The system is likely to intensify in to a cyclonic storm
during the next 24 hours.
Hence, showery, and windy condition over the island, particularly in the Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Uva and Central provinces is expected to enhance.
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