New initiative introduced to support farmers amid rising input costs

A special program aimed at educating farmers on alternative practices in response to rising costs of fuel, fertiliser, and other agricultural inputs is scheduled to commence tomorrow (14).

The Department of Agriculture stated that these awareness initiatives have been organised under the national agricultural programme “Isuru Genena Yalak,” specifically targeting the Yala season.

The Director of Training and Projects, Sisira Kumara, said the programme is expected to be implemented island-wide.

“In addition, ‘Isuru Genena Yalak’ has been introduced as a series of practical programmes to guide farmers on soil test–based fertiliser application, reducing chemical fertiliser use, achieving higher yields with lower input levels, and adopting modern technologies to reduce labour costs during this challenging period. Through this initiative, we also aim to promote crops such as cowpea, green gram, chilli, and onion to strengthen the rural economy and reduce import dependency,” he added.