22nd January 2022 09:00:01 Hours
One more coordinating meeting of the steering committee and all stakeholders of the Green Agriculture Operation Center (GAOC) at Rajagiriya, mandated to coordinate island-wide production of organic fertilizer for ‘Yala Season - 2022’ on a Presidential directive in close collaboration with relevant state agencies and others took place this morning (19) at the GAOC.
This was the 1st meeting where all stakeholders around the country, together with district coordinators and authorities joined both physically and virtually for the meeting, headed by General Shavendra Silva, Head of the Green Agriculture Operation Center (GAOC), Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army and top level officials of the Presidential Task Force and experts in order to implement the coordination role of the Army.
Dr S.H.S Ajantha De Silva, Director General Agriculture, Mr A.H.M.L Abeyrathna, Commissioner General of Agrarian Development, together with General Shavendra Silva, Head, GAOC spelt out the objective of the day's first meeting of this nature with all stakeholders and coordinators.
After a warm welcome, GAOC Head began the discussion explaining the Army’s facilitation role for coordination through the “Road Map to the Yala Season 2022” and what could be done to make it a success in the forthcoming Yala Season mustering the coordinated support of all agencies, engaged in the production of organic fertilizer.
“We have already forwarded this Road Map for the Yala Season 2022 and beyond having discussed with all authorized state and other agencies and forwarded this strategy to HE the President. This strategy includes the scale of the total land we would cultivate in Yala - 2022, the amount of Bio and organic fertilizer needed, and involvement of contractors for this purpose. However, although they produce fertilizer stocks as per requirements, we did not approve any of the since respective agencies are responsible for it and its inspection and production process for quality under technical experts. We need to categorize these suppliers according to districts, and then it will be much easier for government agencies to distribute the stock without allowing another monopoly and making one supplier for the country,” he added.
“1 Corps Commander and 6 other Security Forces Commanders supervise all district coordination in this green agriculture drive. Specially this is not to influence anyone at all, but this practice is only for the proper coordination of the whole supply and production process. The Army will do only coordination part between both farmers and agriculture sector officials and relevant agencies,” he added.
Afterwards, Dr S.H.S Ajantha De Silva, DG Agriculture, elaborated on the new guidelines for paddy cultivation in the Yala Season 2022. He thanked the Army for coordinating all the sectors with human resources.
He also explained recommended nutrient contents for paddy under 4 months, 3 and ½ months categories and underlined the importance of timely distribution, information distribution, coordination and technical assistance through state mechanism.
Subsequently, all other stakeholders around the country attended the meeting via Zoom and expressed their ideas and suggestions to the meeting.
Stakeholders, Presidential Task Force members, Agriculture department officials, Major General Nishantha Manage, Director General General Staff at Army Headquarters, and a few Army Officials attended the event.
