Lanka, Israel grow ties with agriculture

Saturday, 7 May 2011 00:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Shezna Shums

Sri Lanka and Israel this week struck a landmark deal to grow greater bilateral ties via agriculture development.

The important first ever five year agreement was signed by Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana and Israel Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Orit Noked who was in Sri Lanka this week on a three-day official visit.

It was highlighted that the field of agriculture carried great potential for joint cooperation between the two countries.

At the signing ceremony, both Ministers stated that the fields of dairy production, nurseries, post harvest technologies, water management and potato cultivation held great potential.

The duo had acknowledged that agricultural cooperation implemented through close partnership between the Governments and business entities must become one of the central pillars of bilateral relations and that it would further add to the betterment of relations between the two countries and people.

The agreement reflects the commitment as well as endorsement that cooperation was in order to contribute to the achievement of national and institutional goals of agricultural development.

This includes capacity building, transfer of knowhow and promoting the exchange of technical and scientific knowledge for the benefit of the agricultural sectors in both countries as well as the exchange of data and experience on agricultural policies and their implementation.

The agreement also touched on the development of extension, research and development systems and encouraging cooperation between the respective associations, organisations and private sector of both countries.

It was highlighted that Israel was a country which had achieved the highest agricultural development in the world. Israel, with a climate pattern which is not naturally conducive for agriculture, produces 95 per cent of its food requirements using agricultural technology.

As this zone gets only a very low annual rainfall, water is utilised for agriculture through repeated purification.

Israel cultivates a wide range of crops with geographical and climatic diversity. Field crops such as wheat, sorghum and maize, fruits such as citrus varieties, avocado, guava and mango, vegetables, flowers and fruits are exported. It has reached a prime position among exporters of citrus varieties of fruits.

While the Israel Government makes a great contribution to agriculture, it encourages farmers to strategise to minimise the cost of agricultural crops. Moreover, the Government intervenes to introduce crops which need a minimum quantity of water to produce a rich harvest with high quality and varieties of seeds and plants. Further, the Government intervenes in research on the enrichment of soil structure as well.

Considering the advanced methods used by Israel in the field of agriculture, Sri Lanka will receive many benefits through the cooperation with the Government of Israel. The opportunity for entering into a MoU emerged after views were exchanged between the two countries.

Following the signing of the MoU, a roundtable discussion was held between the two sides on an action plan for the next two years on the activities signed under the MoU.