The Department of Agriculture plans to help farmers produce Organic fertilizer in Sri Lanka as per the standards recommended by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI), said Additional Director General of Agriculture Jayantha Ilankoon.Accordingly, part of the fertilizer needed for the forthcoming Maha season will be produced by farmers in Sri Lanka.
She said that all facilities required for this, including training, will be provided by the Department of Agriculture. Therefore, the cultivation targets expected by the Government will be achieved by making the organic fertilizer programme a success.
Addressing the media at Gannoruwa, she said that a number of special programmes focusing on organic farming are being implemented. “In the forthcoming Maha season, food crops will be cultivated using organic fertilizer. The technical officers of the Department of Agriculture, the Provincial Departments of Agriculture and the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority have been informed in this regard. Zoom technology is being used to educate these officers on new technology further. Special awareness is being provided on the expeditious production of organic fertilizers. Officers have been appointed to coordinate training programs for each district. We are appointing an officer to oversee the progress of this work in the district,” she added.Ilankoon also added that the Makandura Sustainable Agriculture and Research Development Institute conducts training programmes for this purpose, and practical training is also provided at the site. “The Department is ready to impart knowledge to anyone. Compost, liquid manure, green manure, and plant nutrients required for organic cultivation are produced locally using our raw material. Therefore, we can have confidence in the product as it is made with our own products,” she said.
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