New GAOC with stakeholders, experts kick-starts organic fertiliser drive for ‘Yala’ season

The recently-established Green Agriculture Operation Centre (GAOC) at Rajagiriya, mandated to spearhead, implement and coordinate island-wide production of organic fertiliser for ‘Yala Season -

General Shavendra Silva, Head of the Green Agriculture Operation Centre (GAOC), Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army

2022’ on a Presidential directive recently kick-started its brainstorming session.

It was attended by Agriculture Ministerial Secretaries and General Shavendra Silva, Head of the Green Agriculture Operation Centre (GAOC), Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army. Officials of the Presidential Task Force for Green Agriculture, top-level cream of stakeholders, drawn from all corners of the island and experts on the subject, too, joined the session.

Ministry of Agriculture Secretary D.M.L.D. Bandaranayaka and State Ministry of Agriculture Secretary M.N. Ranasinghe, together with GAOC Head General Shavendra Silva, spelt out the objective of the day’s first meeting of this magnitude in the New Year at the GAOC after a warm welcome of the GAOC Head.

Agriculture DG Dr. S.H.S. Ajantha De Silva, Agrarian Development Commissioner-General A.H.M.L. Abeyrathna, Ministry of Agriculture Advisor/Expert Organic Agriculture Dr. Hemantha Wijewardene, National Fertiliser Secretariat Director Chandana Lokuhewage, Presidential Task Force (PTF) Chairman Major (Retd.) Vijitha Welikala, PTF Secretary G.N. Vernan Perera, Bio Agriculture PTF scientist Dr. Kasun Tharaka Amal, Lanka Fertiliser Company Managing Director R.A. Priyantha Perera, Colombo Commercial Fertiliser Company Managing Director Dr. Jayantha Weerarathna, Economist and Specialist in Agriculture Systems Dr. Patrick Nugawela, Lanka Organic Agriculture Movement Chairman Thilak Kariyawasam, Agriculture Information Science Researcher and Scientist J.M. Soorasena, Rajarata University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sanjeewani Ginigaddara, Rajarata University visiting lecturer and Adviser to United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation Dr. P.B Dharamasena were among other participants at this inaugural kick-off at the GAOC.

The comprehensive discussion at the GAOC after its founding on 2 December 2021, after the appointment of General Shavendra Silva as the Head by the President, largely focused on possibilities for resolution of organic and liquid fertiliser, need for addition of phosphorus, production of egg-seeds for the Yala season, use of nano-nitrogen and KCL fertiliser, quality tests for produced manure, use of alternative agro-chemicals for weeds and pesticides, enrichment of Army, Civil Security Department and Land Reforms Commission already-produced organic fertiliser stocks, issue of strategic guidelines for paddy cultivation in the 2022 Yala season, supply and demand of organic and liquid fertiliser for other crops and cultivations, enhancement of knowledge and training on the use of organic fertiliser for agrarian officials and the farming community, inauguration of projects that could provide long-term raw materials and resources for sustenance of production processes of both organic and liquid fertiliser and a few other related areas of concern.

The meeting also seriously reviewed the strategy that could be applied for use of organic fertiliser in the forthcoming Yala season, presenting two solutions considering liquid and solid supplements with the issue of strict guidelines to that effect. Similarly, all stakeholders explored practical aspects with regard to the production of the entire quantity of fertiliser needed for the 2022 Yala season with the green agricultural concept in parallel to the use of liquid and carbonic phosphate.

Extensive deliberations under 12 major areas of concern also evaluated the existing need for nano-nitrogen liquid fertiliser, weedicides and pesticides and their requirements, enrichment of already-produced organic fertiliser stocks for high quality, and the preparation of a strategic roadmap for the achievement of desired goals. One expert joined the discussions virtually.

The Army, at the forefront of launching pioneering organic fertiliser production projects at the ground level using land extents of all camp locations, has already contributed to the national drive on the directions of General Shavendra Silva and expects to multiply and accelerate the production process in the coming months on a large scale.

Earlier, Army troops undertook the challenge of controlling the COVID-19 pandemic under the guidance of General Shavendra Silva, who acted as the Head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO), now functional as the GAOC Head following directions given by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.