Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said the country must start agricultural modernisation in 2023 to feed its growing population and become a net exporter of food.
The President’s Media Division (PMD) said on Wednesday that Wickremesinghe made the statement at a meeting of the Multi-Sector Combined Committee to ensure food security and nutrition.
He said with agriculture, the country could earn foreign exchange by enhancing production and competitiveness through the modernisation of agriculture.
“By the end of 2023, we should get the modernisation programme going in full swing.
“We should earn foreign exchange from agriculture.
“By 2050, our population will be 25 million.
“This might be a problem if we don’t modernise agriculture,’’ he said.
Wickremesinghe added that the growing population is not only in Sri Lanka but globally and it presents many opportunities. (Xinhua/NAN)
