The inaugural ceremony of the program was held under the patronage of the Minister of Irrigation, and State Minister of Home Affairs, State Defense and Disaster Management
Chamal Rajapaksa and State Minister of Canals and Common Infrastructure Development in Settlements in Mahaweli Zones, Siripala Gamlath.
The awareness program titled ‘Right path to the right cultivation’ was held at Shalika Hall in Dehiattakandiya. Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority organized this farmer awareness
program and the agriculturalists together with the experts in the field of Bathalagoda Paddy Research Institute conducted the sessions.
Over 191,560 hectares are irrigated by the Mahaweli waters. Paddy and other crops are grown in 106,117 hectares within its ten zones. About 900,000 metric tons of paddy are
harvested in these ten zones annually. The value of the produce is 45 billion rupees.
At the same time, Mahaweli zones contribute to the national production; 21% of paddy, 91% of soybean, 43% of big onion, 10% of maize, 22% of banana, 13% of papaw, and
8% of mango.
The harvest has currently been limited to 5.8 metric tons per hectare as traditional methods are used in cultivation. This awareness program for the Mahaweli farming community
has targeted to increase the annual yield to 7.5 metric tons per hectare.
Therefore, the agricultural experts point out that a considerable harvest from not only paddy but also other crops could be obtained by applying the right methods of cultivation.
Certain farmers use chemical and organic fertilizer haphazardly expecting a high yield. Mahaweli State Minister Siripala Gamlath quoted agricultural experts as saying that over-use
of fertilizer would not help yield a bountiful harvest.
He stated that paddy has been grown in 94,000 hectares of Mahaweli lands in this Maha season. The Mahaweli Agriculture Unit has projected to harvest soon 565,000 metric tons,
the Minister said.
At the same time, 200 farmer families in the Mahaweli C zone received land titles during this awareness program. In addition, agricultural implement was distributed before cash
checks to build agricultural wells and housing were handed over to the beneficiaries.
Ampara District parliamentarians, W.D. Weerasinghe, Dr. Thilak Rajapakse, and Secretary of the State Ministry of Canals and Common Infrastructure Development in Settlements
in Mahaweli Zones, Engineer W.B.Palugaswewa, Deputy Director-General of the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority, Engineer P.G. Gunathilaka, Mahaweli Agricultural Director Neville
Rajapaksha, Director of Livestock Mrs. Thamara Priyadarshani Residential Enterprises Manager of Mahaweli C zone, Ubhaya Kalyana Kumara and several others participated
