Good Morning, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Mr A.W. Jalil, Resident Representative for Sri Lanka from the Food and
Agriculture
Organization (FAO),
Dr B.K. Nandi, Senior Food and Nutrition
Officer from the FAO Regional Office and
the conveyor of the FIVIMS
network.
Dr Nimal Ranaweera, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of
Agriculture and Lands,
Representatives from different international and
national agencies, Ministries,
Experts representing Asia-Pacific countries,
and
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my pleasure this morning to welcome you on behalf of the government of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Agriculture. I am pleased that the members of the expert consultation on FIVIMS have accepted the invitation to hold this year's consultation on concretizing actions on establishment of Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping Systems in Sri Lanka.
I understand that FIVIMS originated in the 1970s. However, it was the FOOD SUMMIT OF 1996, which elevated FIVIMS to its present status. The FAO has been responsible for all FIVIMS activities at national level.
Despite being a third world country, Sri Lanka still enjoys a high P.Q.L.I. This is mainly because Sri Lankan Governments have always given high priority to assisting vulnerable groups. I am sure that the Sri Lankan experience will be a model to other countries of the region.
Food security exists when all people, at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food. Through governmental effort food security can be maintained at national level. But insecurity can still prevail at household level due to various reasons. This is an area, which needs greater attention.
According to available statistics, 840 million people exist on a deficient calorie intake.
While food insecurity is not necessarily a problem confined to developing countries, a vast majority of them live in low-income countries. Therefore, it is apt that experts from the Asia-Pacific region where a majority of the world's poor live, get together to examine this vital problem and find solutions.
Most governments place great importance on securing the basic needs of the people. However, food security does not receive the attention it deserves, particularly, in third world countries.
In Sri Lanka we have adopted measures to minimize food insecurity among vulnerable groups. We have a two-pronged strategy, that is to give the poor income support on the one hand and at the same time to encourage them to participate in development activities, thereby increasing their own income, effecting and improvement in their quality of life. This is the key strategy adopted in the "Samurdhi" programme implemented by the government. Under this programme a majority of households in Sri Lanka receive income support towards meeting their basic needs and also assistance to enter into some production activity. It is only through this kind of programmes that we can make a more durable improvement in their food security.
Then, there are those sectors of people whose food security is placed at risk due to changing situations. Agricultural sector is particularly vulnerable in this respect. For example a large number of farmers who depend on rainfed conditions suffer crop failure due lack of rain, pest damage and other problems. Therefore, the challenge that a government has to overcome is quite complicated.
In this context, experts in these respective fields have a large role to play. They have to assist policy makers by identifying and characterizing the problem better. I have no doubt that the experts who have gathered here understand their responsibilities and would make an effective and lasting contribution towards overcoming this crucial problem.
I thank you for inviting me to declare open this expert consultation and wish all of you a very succesful meeting and pleasant stay. I hope that those guests from other regional countries will carry pleasant memories of their stay in Sri Lanka with them.
Thank you very much.
*Delivered by the Honourable Chamal Rajapaksha, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Government of Sri Lanka.
