News
Real experts now lament for not opposing govt.’s disastrous agricultural policy
By Ifham Nizam
The Academics’ Movement to Safeguard Agriculture (AMSA) Sri Lanka, a concerned group of University academia, representing Faculties of Agriculture and Technology, yesterday stressed that they would not allow a repeat of the mistake of last year when the government decided on a fertiliser policy that was a disaster to the country’s economy, particularly affecting the farming community.
Senior Professor Buddhi Marambe from the Faculty of Agriculture (University of Peradeniya stressed that they were now of the opinion that they should have come down hard and gone public about the devastation brought upon farmers by the government policy.
“Today, marks one calendar year since that irrational decision to ban the imports of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, two important categories of agricultural inputs that have contributed significantly in achieving national food security over the past six decades”, Prof. Marambe said.
He however maintained that the abrupt decision taken during the early part of the Yala season of 2021 to move into total organic agriculture starting from the Maha season of 2021/2022 had run into stiff resistance from many scientists in the field of agriculture.
Professor W. A. J. M. de Costa, Senior Professor and Chair of Crop Science, Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya told journalists that scientists, academia and a range of stakeholder groups had pleaded with the government to reverse the decision soon without causing an imminent threat to food security.
However, all such efforts had been in vein, said Professor Marambe, adding “We are now experiencing the impact of a man-made disaster.”
He said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s recent statement that his decision against providing chemical fertiliser was a mistake spoke volumes for the negative impacts of the unfortunate decision made a year ago.
The new Minister of Agriculture, at the time of assuming duties in office, jhad pledged to import chemical fertiliser and regain the status of self-sufficiency in rice, AMSA team said.
They also said Sri Lanka annually required about 2.3 to 2.4 million tonnes of rice. With the exception of 2016 and 2017, when large parts of Sri Lanka experienced a prolonged drought, the country’s rice production had exceeded its requirement since 2008.
“However, things have changed dramatically since the Maha season of 2021/2022 as the country is now more dependent on the rice imported from other countries like Myanmar, India, Pakistan and China.”
AMSA consists of a group of concerned academics in agriculture who have come together as a think-tank and a pressure group to voice their opinions and proposals for the recovery and subsequent development of Sri Lankan agriculture as a vibrant component of the national economy.
This movement has emerged in response to the non-scientific and non-professional approach adopted for agriculture by the government with the support of so-called intellectuals with half-baked science, especially on agriculture. SuAt the press conference, AMSA said they would present the short- to-medium-term implementable work plans aiming at the recovery of the agriculture sector of Sri Lanka by addressing the following segments, especially focusing on the crop production segment.
(a) Agricultural input supply: seeds and planting material, fertilizer, pesticides, machinery, and service-oriented functions such as precision agricultural technologies (b) Crop management packages: good agricultural practices (GAP), including integrated plant nutrient systems (IPNS) and integrated pest management systems (IPM) (c) Increasing local and export market potential: post-harvest handling, value addition, market models, and food system approach.
The newly appointed Cabinet Committee tasked with ensuring the uninterrupted functioning of Sri Lanka’s public service held its inaugural meeting on Thursday (19) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya.
The Committee convened to discuss strategies to maintain seamless government operations in the face of potential disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict situation in the Middle East, with particular focus on energy resource management.
According to officials, the discussions emphasised sustaining essential government services, ensuring continued service delivery to the public, and addressing the operational challenges faced by public sector employees during the current circumstances. The Committee also examined measures to mitigate any disruptions that could affect day-to-day administrative and service functions across ministries and departments.
Key attendees at the meeting included the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government A. H. M. M. H. Abayaratne; Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Secretary to the
Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri; Chief of Staff to the President Prabath Chandrakeerthi; and senior secretaries from key ministries including Health and Mass Media, Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Energy, and Digital Economy.
Representatives from state institutions such as the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation were also present, highlighting the government’s focus on energy security as a central priority. The Committee’s deliberations underscored a coordinated approach to balancing uninterrupted public service delivery with effective management of limited energy resources amid the ongoing geopolitical uncertainties.
Observers note that the formation of this Cabinet Committee reflects the government’s proactive stance in safeguarding national administrative functions and ensuring that critical public services remain resilient during times of external pressures.The Committee is expected to meet regularly to monitor developments, evaluate emerging risks, and implement practical measures to maintain operational continuity across the public sector.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on Friday lashed out at President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Parliament, accusing him of failing to uphold international law during wartime.
Premadasa said the President’s claim of neutrality ignored breaches of the UN Charter—including Articles 2.4 and 2.7—and other global conventions. “A neutral stance requires openly acknowledging violations,” he argued, criticizing the absence of ethical mechanisms to safeguard international law.
He also questioned the President’s handling of maritime issues, particularly whether Sri Lanka had been informed of the alleged attack on the Iranian vessel IRIS Dena, stressing that the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) permits only peaceful activity.
On the economic front, Premadasa condemned the government for missing a chance to buy Russian oil during a 30-day U.S. sanctions suspension.
He said attempts to advise the Foreign Ministry, including a meeting with the Russian Ambassador, yielded no progress.
Premadasa further ridiculed the government’s earlier dismissal of the QR code fuel system, noting that officials are now adapting to it.
Turning to broader economic concerns, he called for immediate negotiations with the IMF to secure a new agreement, warning that the current primary balance of 2.3 is unsustainable. He stressed the urgent need for a poverty-reduction program, highlighting that one-third of Sri Lankans live in poverty.
He also demanded that surplus Treasury funds be used to support relief packages, arguing billions in reserves could aid households struggling with income shortfalls.Concluding his address, Premadasa criticized the government for failing to prepare for foreseeable crises, leaving the country vulnerable.
Former Minister Johnston Fernando, his two sons, and three others were remanded by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court yesterday (20) until April 2, the court confirmed.
The suspects, including Fernando’s elder son Johan, younger son Jerome, and a former transport manager of Lanka Sathosa, are under investigation by the Police Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID).
Authorities allege the Lanka Sathosa lorry was misused for operations linked to an ethanol company reportedly owned by Fernando, causing an estimated Rs. 2.5 million loss to the state.
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