Mar 17, Colombo: The World Bank has agreed to extend the aid for the agriculture sector modernization project implemented to introduce new technology to the agriculture sector in Sri Lanka for another 18 months.

The World Bank delegation that visited Sri Lanka recently led by John Kayser, agro-economist Mrs. Karishma Wash and senior operations officer Asela Dissanayake, discussed the project with the Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amaraweera.

The Minister requested the World Bank delegation to continue on with this project as this project has significantly contributed to the agricultural sector via modernization project.

Accordingly, the World Bank delegation has agreed to provide an amount of US$ 30 million to maintain this project for another 18 months from May this year.

Under this, agricultural sector modernization model villages will be started in all the 25 districts targeting different types of crops. Also, aiming at exports, a sour banana model village in Jaffna, and two Cavendish banana projects in Batticaloa and Sevanagala areas will be started. The Agriculture Sector Modernization Project has already planned to start these activities in the month of May.

Like the Rajanganaya Sour Banana project, another cultivation project has been planned targeting Embilipitiya and Hambantota areas.

The minister emphasized in this discussion that while introducing new technology to agriculture, the project is already very successful in obtaining more yield from minimum land area, planting crops according to international standards, producing according to world market standards and familiarizing farmers with new technology.

Mr. John Kayser, the team leader of the World Bank delegation, expressing his views emphasized that he will give his maximum support to increase the agricultural production by using modern technology instead of traditional agriculture in Sri Lanka.

Mr. Gunadasa Samarasinghe, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Rohan Wijekoon, Director of the Agriculture Sector Modernization Project and others also participated in this event.