SRI LANKA COUNTRY PROFILE

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CP2002-SRI LANKA PAGE 38 Of 106
CHAPTER 14: PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Decision-Making: Decision making pertaining to Agenda 21 commitments in agriculture takes place at several
levels. However, the ministries and departments carried the major responsibility for decision making by being
responsible for carrying out policy reviews on aspects such as determination of food security goals and sustainable
development strategies at the national level and incorporating them into national action programmes. Community
organizations and NGOs assisted this review process. Governmental departments also carried a major responsibility
at the implementation level, as agricultural extension programmes implemented by the state sector became the
major vehicle for carrying these thrusts to individual farmers and other action agents. The Ministry of Agriculture is
the key decision making body.
Programmes and Projects: Important projects and programmes are summarized below.
Programme Area Action
1. Agriculture policy review, planning and integrated The National Policy Framework for Agriculture,
programmes in the light of multifunctional aspect of Lands and Forestry–1995
agriculture, particularly with regard to food security Recommendations of the National Development
and sustainable development
Council – Agriculture Policy–1996
National Programme Document on Food Security –
(Follow up to WFS, 1996)–1997 and update 2000
2. Ensuring peoples participation and promoting human -
resource development for sustainable agriculture
3. Improving farm production and farming systems -
through diversification of farm and non-farm
employment and infrastructure development
4. Land-resource planning, information and education National Physical Planning Strategy–2001;
for agriculture
National Land Use Policy prepared by the Land Use
Policy Planning Division–2002.
5. Land conservation and rehabilitation Soil Conservation (Amendment) Act – 1996
Upper Watershed Management Project - 1996-2003
Environmental Action 1–Pilot Land Management
Component (PLMC) – 1996-2002
6. Water for sustainable food production and rural National Water Resources Development Policy –
development
1998.
7. Conservation and sustainable utilization of plant Under the Plant Genetic Resources Centre of the
genetic resources for food and sustainable agriculture DOA – est. in the 1980s continues accessions and
in-situ and in-vitro conservation
8. Conservation and sustainable utilization of animal -
genetic resources for sustainable agriculture
9. Integrated pest management for sustainable
National IPM Programme initially funded by FAO
agriculture
and continued by the DOA
10. Sustainable plant nutrition to increase food production Integrated Plant Nutrition Management Programme
implemented by the National Fertilizer Secretariat
Integrated land development or 'Saraboomi'
Programme of the Ministry of Agriculture – 2000
11. Rural energy transition to enhance productivity -
12. Evaluation of the effects of ultraviolet radiation on -
plants and animals caused by the depletion of the
stratospheric ozone layer