The Commercial Bank of Ceylon recently returned to Mahilankadu in Kilinochchi – the Bank’s pilot ‘Agri Modernisation Village’ – to celebrate its success by participating in a harvest ceremony. Mahilankadu is the prototype for an ambitious village-by-village mission launched by the Bank to propagate technology in the agriculture sector, encompassing all areas of agricultural potential in the country.
Among the highlights of the event were traditional rituals to honour the spirits for the good harvest, demonstrations of some of the modern harvesting techniques introduced through the program, speeches by key stakeholders on the progress and potential of the program as a model for other regions, endorsements from farmers on how the program has positively changed their practices and incomes, and the donation of a multi chopping machine to the Faculty of Agriculture of the Jaffna University for use in its community training programs.
Commercial Bank DGM, Personal Banking, Delakshan Hettiarachchi said, “Agriculture is not just an occupation in Sri Lanka, it is the heartbeat of our nation. Through innovation, unity, and determination, we can empower our farmers, uplift livelihoods, and secure a prosperous future for generations to come.”
Prof. K. Pakeetharan said that the adoption of modern agro-technology has significantly reduced cultivation costs. Farmers no longer need to use weedicides, and the seed paddy requirement has decreased by 75% compared to traditional methods, he said. He said that weed growth in paddy fields cultivated with modern agro-technology is minimal, allowing farmers to sell their harvest as seed paddy, thereby earning a comparatively higher income.
