Aug 28, Colombo: Seychelles, impressed by Sri Lanka's domestic agricultural program Divi Neguma, wants to implement a similar program in that country at its earliest, to revive its agriculture.

Seychelles Minister of Natural Resources and Industry Peter Sinon, who was in Sri Lanka last week with a delegation that included Seychelles President James Michel, has asked Sri Lanka's Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiyutheen to send a consultative Divi Neguma delegation team to Seychelles.

"I want to introduce the Divi Neguma model to the more than 8,000 people whose livelihoods we are trying to upgrade through community development schemes. Once we start, I will name our own program also as Divi Neguma" the national news agency quoting the Seychelles Minister said.

During a meeting with Minister Bathiyutheen at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce last Wednesday (22) Minister Sinon has learned that Sri Lanka last year exported $ 2.7 million worth poultry, strengthened by poultry output from Divi Neguma program.

Minister Bathiyutheen has said that Sri Lanka has covered one million households under the program last year and is planning to expand the coverage to 2.5 million households this year.