World Food Day Campaign at Colombo on 16th October

The World Food Day program celebrated at Colombo on 16th October with the collective leadership of MONLAR, NAFSO & Savistri civil society organizations.
There were thousands of farmers, fisherfolk, plantation communities, milk farmers and women in all these sectors as small food producers marched from Independent Square to Western province arts and cultural centre. The seminar was organized at the cultural centre which was attended by Mahinda Amaraweera, the fisheries minister attended and received the proposed alternative documents on fisheries and agriculture in which Fisheries policy was prepared in mediation of NAFSO and presented by Loyel Peiris in the meeting.
Chinthaka Rajapakse, the moderator of MONLAR while welcoming and setting objectives said at the begining, "this is a struggle of small food producers and we continue this effort every year to raise the issues of the producers. We want to take this effort to unite the working class."

After receiving the proposed policy documents Mahinda Amaraweera, the fisheries minister said, "We are very much aware the issues of fisher people and agriculture and farmers issues. We need to study and discuss these documents thoroughly. We want to continue this dialogue even after the food day program. We are more open than earlier for that."

This is good sign and important matter to consider as a change of the regime. So we are open to this process and continue the dialogue.
Herman Kumara, Convener, NAFSO addressed the seminar and said, " Commemoration of WFD is not  a ritual for the CSOs and Small Food Producers in the country and the world. Because small food producers are feeding the world, providing job opportunities, cooling the mother earth and also provide food for poor people in the world."

Mr. J. M. Soorasena an alternative agriculture expert said, "Our top level agriculture experts are not knowing about the importance of the small food producers. They are searching a place to hammer the nail. Not prepare the nail to match the wall. This is the issue of technology they use."

The documents presented were distributed among the participants for continue the dialogue.