Thursday 3 February 2022

Farmers receive 478 farm machinery worth Rs. 250 Mn procured by the CSIAP

The President hands over a symbolic key  to a farmer and President inspects machinery   

President Hon. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa handed 478 farm machineries worth Rs. 250 Mn purchased by the Climate Smart Irrigation Agriculture Project (CSIAP) over to farmers living in hots spot areas affected by climate change to carry out their agricultural activities. This ceremony took place at the Presidential Secretariat this morning.

Farmers will be able to obtain above farm machinery through 47 Agrarian Service Centers established in six provinces covering hot spot areas, which are highly vulnerable to climate variations in 11 districts such as  Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Kilinochchi, Mutative, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Monaragala and Hambantota, to engage in their agricultural activities.

Marking the handing over the programme, President Rajapaksa made symbolic hand over of selected machinery to farmers. The machinery, totalling 478 individual items, include 189 Walk Behind Type Paddy Transplanters, 189 Lowland Power Weeders, 95 Drum Type Manual Paddy Seeders, 04 Paddy Combined Harvesters and 01 Four Wheel Tractor.

The objectives of providing machinery to farmers by the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project is to enhance the living standards of the farmers affected by the Covid 19 epidemic and to boost the agricultural economy of the country which will bring social progress by increasing productivity, employment and income. 

Machinery delivered today
Minister of Agriculture Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage,  State Minister Hon. Shasheendra Rajapaksa, Secretary to the President Mr. Gamini Senarath, Secretary of Agriculture Mr. D.M.L Bandaranayake,  CSIAP’s Project Director Eng. R.M.B. Rajakaruna,  Commissioner General of the Department of Agrarian Development Mr. A. H. M. L. Abeyrathna were present in this event. 

Please see more Images of this programme.