9 - NSF Digital Library

J.k de S. Siriwardene
the CTMU had sold nearly 500 blocks to members of the Union. The
Project plans to set up a second production facility in Kuliyapitiya in the
near future.
Information on the value of UMMB as a feed supplement,
provided to the Ministry of Livestock Development and Rural Industries
has evoked much interest. The Ministry is currently studying the
feasibility of promoting the setting up of a large scale production plant.
The Project scientists and staff have worked hard to acheve the
objectives of the programme. However, as the duration of the current
phase is only two years, the time constraint will be a serious limitation.
As those involved in extension are fully aware, extending new
innovations to trdtional rural farmers is a very difficult and time
consuming task. Although two years is a very short time in which to
make an impact in the field, the project is determined to transfer the new
technologies to at least a core group of innovative farmers in selected
areas.
The project staflFare looking forward to listen to the presentations
of the researchers during the next few days. We have with us very
eminent fmeign scientists who are speciahsts in their own fields and also
a galaxy of eminent local scientists participating in thls Symposium. The
Symposium provides an excellent forum for Sri Lankan scientists to share
experiences with scientists fiom other Asian countries on the application
and dissemination of technical knowledge to rural farmers. It provides an
opportunity to discuss and develop guidelines for wider application of
selected technologies and to identi@ potential areas for further study and
technology transfer. Clearly, an important challenge for the future will be
to develop innovative management packages, utilizing locally available
resources, which will be sustainable under the intensive land use systems
that are evolving in most countries in Asia. I hope there will be active
participation of all who are here and that discussions will be fiui$ul.