The Kandy News Online Edition
December 2004/January 2005
Email your articles and letters to the: editor@kandynews.net

Home

Protected Agriculture Has Bright Future

The future of Sri Lanka's agriculture will increasingly depend on the adoption of more scientific methods of cultivation. In that endeavour Protected Agriculture will play a major role. This was the message that several speakers repeatedly stressed at the annual general meeting of the Protected Agriculture Entrepreneurs Association (PAEA) held recently at the In-service Training Institute of the Department of Agriculture, Gannoruwa, Peradeniya.
	The chief guest, Executive Director of the Council for Agricultural Research Policy Professor H M Gunasena lighting the oil lamp. From left to right Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr Sarath Weerasena, Team Leader of GTZ-ESSP Project Dr. V. Steigerwald, ESSP Director P.G. Samaratunga and Secretary General of the National Agri Business Council Nihal Mawalla and the president of the PAEA Ananda Jayawardena.	The incoming president Chandra Dharmasena, Members of the PAEA and the invitees

PAEA is the premier professional organization in Sri Lanka that stands for the interests of entrepreneurs who are engaged in modern controlled environmental (Green House) agriculture.

Amidst requests from the PAEA members to continue in office, the president Ananda Jayawardena and secretary Sarath Perera, both of whom held office for several years, stepped down to provide an opportunity for other members to become leaders. Chandra Dharmasena took over the presidency and K, Dissanayake assumed duties as secretary.

The chief guest Executive Director of the Council for Agricultural Research Policy Professor H M Gunasena and several guest speakers including Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr. Sarath Weerasena, Additional Secretary of the Udarata Development Ministry Mrs. Swarna Obeysekara, Team Leader of the German Donor Agency GTZ-ESSP Project Dr. V. Steigerwald, (ESSP) Director P.G Samaratunga and Secretary General of the National Agri Business Council Nihal Mawalla addressed the ceremonial sessions. This was followed by a technical session that reviewed the results of a base-line survey of Controlled Environment Agriculture conducted by the Council for Agricultural Research Policy.

The following are the office bearers of PAEA for the coming year.

President- Chandra Dharmasena
Vice President- Deepabandu Ratnayaka
Secretary- K Dissanayake
Treasurer- A. Punchihewa
Assistant Secretary/Treasurer- Nihal Ranatunga
Committee Members- Ananda Jayawardena, Sarath Perera, Dr.SM Somaratna, SB Kiridena