The Netherlands has assured to extend further support to Sri Lanka especially with know-how to the Government’s “Grow Food” program.
This assurance was given by when Netherlands Ambassador Bonnie Horbach called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on Thursday.
The Premier thanked the Netherlands for the assistance provided to infrastructure development and agriculture and various other sectors and urged for technical know-how and more investments in agriculture, information technology, renewable energy, transport and tourism.
Horbach said Sri Lanka has vast potential in many areas including information technology, tourism and agriculture and she was confident that her country would undertake more projects once the global economic situation gets over the current difficult phase.
The Prime Minister explained the ‘Grow Food’ programs undertaken by the Government at 14,000 Grama Sevaka divisions and said that in addition to the Maha season of paddy, cultivation of many other crops in hitherto uncultivated lands is likely to provide a good yield by the first quarter of next year.
Ambassador Horbach said her country has advanced in innovative agro technology and the Netherlands expertise could be provided to Sri Lanka. She said that the Netherland scientists have developed a new variety of potato that can grow in salty lands as most areas of her country is closer to sea and the land consist of saline water and that potato seeds could be provided to Sri Lanka to start potato cultivations in areas close to sea, especially in the north and east.
They also discussed other areas for collaboration, including climate change, trade and commerce, ports development and joint projects.
The new Netherlands Ambassador assured the Prime Minister her prime task would be to promote bilateral ties and development cooperation during her tenure in Sri Lanka.
The government of the Netherlands has shown interest in cooperating with Sri Lanka in areas of sharing agricultural technology, promoting Dutch tourism into the country and possibility of buying coconut oil for food processing industries in the Netherlands.
The focus was primarily on the possibility of implementing new projects related to agriculture between the two countries aimed at getting high results by mixing the traditional agricultural practices of Sri Lanka with the modern techniques available in the Netherlands.
The two sides focused on the promotion of tourism related to plantation industry and agriculture. Apart from that, ideas were also exchanged regarding Sri Lanka’s future program of reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and using organic fertilizers.
It was also discussed to prepare a method to import Sri Lankan coconut oil for various industries in the Netherlands, especially in the production process of various foods including chocolate.
It was also discussed about bringing Dutch tourists to Sri Lanka for the promotion of the tourism industry in Sri Lanka.
The Ambassador expressed belief that Sri Lanka, which is inhabited by people with a very high level of education and information technology skills, will soon be able to return to its previous status as a middle-income country with the support of the International Monetary Fund.
