1 m home gardens program kicks off

Wednesday, 25 March 2020 13:50 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The one million home gardens program organised by the Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation, and Rural Development Ministry and the Samurdhi Development Department of the Social Security Ministry will be implemented from tomorrow.

The program, which was to be implemented at the beginning of the year, was delayed due to dry weather, Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation, and Rural Development Secretary Neel Bandara Hapuhinne told the Daily FT, adding that they had decided to go ahead with the project following discussions yesterday night.

“With curfew imposed, people have nothing to do at home, so for their mental wellbeing and relaxation, we are starting the home garden project,” he explained.

According to him, seed and plant distributions will take place and gardening advice will be provided to those partaking in the program. “We have made arrangements to distribute ten plants to condominiums, including chili, so that people can maintain home gardens even in condominiums,” Hapuhinne added.

The program is one of several measures taken by the Ministry in order to meet consumer demands as well as strengthen the agriculture industry during the COVID-19 outbreak. According to Hapuhinne, there is a shortage of essentials like dhal and dried fish even in Pettah which cannot be met in the next few days.

Hapuhinne said: “We wanted to get all these produce to public service centres and sell them to the public. However, with curfew imposed indefinitely, people have no way of going to these places.”

Thus, arrangements have been made to provide consumers with essentials and all measures have been taken for essential agricultural and livestock programs to take place without interruption even when curfew is imposed.