Akkaraipattu Seed Paddy Processing Centre nears completion

On the initiative of Akkaraipattu Seed Paddy Producers Society, an outstanding problem of the farmers of the Ampara District is to be solved by the establishment of a full fledged Paddy Processing Centre along with a storage facility for seed paddy produced here in Akkaraipattu.

The work on this Rs. 15 million project commenced in November 2006, with funding assistance from the European Union through UNDP Ampara. Construction work is progressing quickly under the technical advises of the Department of Agriculture’s Extension, Seed Paddy, and Certifying Units, and is to be complete early next month.

Two important features of the project, a Seed Processing Machine and Seed Drier are to be brought down from Germany and India respectively. Once the project is complete, the Processing Centre will be in the position to supply 15,000 bushels of seed paddy after processing and certifying to the farmers of the District, helping to further facilitate their paddy cultivation.

A team of Officials from the European Union, headed by Ms. Merce de Torres and UNDP’s Ampara Chief Z.A. Joufer, visited the site recently and expressed their satisfaction after talking to the OIC of the Ampara Seed Paddy Processing Centre and members of the Akkaraipattu Seed Paddy Producers.It may be noted that Ampara District, the rice bowl of the Country, is the second largest paddy producing area in Sri Lanka, with 63,000 hectares of paddy cultivation fulfilling one fifth of the rice production in the Country. According to the Agriculture Department’s statistics, the farmers in the District produce 75% of the seed paddy required by the District themselves. Once this is more fully established, problems confronted by the farmers in the District in seeking quality seed paddy should be solved to a great extent.

German Friendship Primary School Constructed

The Centre for East Lanka Social Service (CELSS) has completed the German Friendship Primary School at Arasadiththottam, Nintavur, with funds obtained from the HELP Alliance of Germany.

The school was built at a cost of 9 Million rupees and consists of two buildings: a two-story block of classrooms for students learning from grades one through five and an administrative block with the Principal’s Office and adjoining computer unit. The CELSS, which took only three months to complete the construction of the school, organised a function to hand over the keys of the building to the Zonal Director of Education.

A three member German delegation, led by Rita Diop, from Help Alliance attended the function, and the Deputy Minister of Subsidiary Agricultural Crops Development, M.T. Hassen Ali, and Deputy Minister of Scientific Affairs, Faizal Cassim, were also present as guests.

The Deputy Minister for Science and Technology cut the ribbon and ceremoniously declared the school open. Ms. Rita Diop, Chairperson for the function, handed over the keys of the building to the Kalmunai Deputy Director of Zonal Education, Mrs. Anandarajah.

At the end of the ceremony, mementos were awarded to all those who assisted in the construction.