Farmers need to be consulted for solutions – Minister

Agriculture, Lands, Irrigation and Livestock Resources Minister K.D. Lalkantha said that a decision was made by the Kandy Coordination Committee to establish a unit made up of representatives of farmer organisations registered under the Agrarian Services Department in each Grama Sewaka Division, to prevent damage to crops by wild animals.

He said that the problem should be correctly identified by the representatives of the farmers’ organisations and the solutions to be given to the problem should be identified through their proposals. The relevant programme should be implemented by getting together with the Agrarian Services Department and Agriculture officers.

Speaking to the media yesterday (11) after the Kandy District Coordination Committee meeting, the Minister also said: “In order to reduce the damage caused to crops by wild animals, in addition to the programme at the national level, a programme should be implemented at district level involving the farmers. It is believed that a quick solution to the problem can be obtained by establishing a public contact unit in each Grama Sewaka Division for this purpose. The people representing these units can be provided with knowledge and training regarding the measures to be taken to protect cultivated land from wild animals. If air rifles are provided, we can decide on the quantity at the village level. We are implementing this programme while the procedure for providing long-term solutions to the problem is being carried out.

“There are 1,555 registered farmer organisations in the Kandy district. The representatives of the farmers’ organisations were requested by the Agrarian Services Department to seek proposals before the next Coordinating Committee meeting. “Accordingly, our aim is to provide an answer to this question very soon. I never said that wild animals should be killed. In any case, it is good that environmentalists have intervened in this issue. Because it is important for farmers to understand that they have such a burning problem.”

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