by Charumini de
Silva"Both government and the private sector must
pay more attention to agriculture to achieve faster growth
according to the latest World Report 2008 ‘Agriculture for
Development.’
Dr. Derek Byerlee, one of the two principal co- authors of
report, gave a brief introduction at the World Bank Colombo
Office recently.
There is a good market for high level agriculture products
all over the world, he said. The new markets such as life style
products, fruits, vegetables and flavoured tea have a high
demand. While increasing the agriculture products of the
country, we should also increase productivity.
He also added that not only the agriculture products, but
also the products through which we gain more revenue such as
tea, rubber and coconuts should also increase their production
while raising productivity.
Terrence Abeysekara, Senior Agriculture Economist, Dina Unali
Dininger, Lead Agriculture Economist SASDA and Adolfo Brizzi,
Sector Manager, Sustainable Development Department, Agriculture
and Rural Development Unit South, Asia Region were the other
World Bank officials present at the press briefing.
