US Ambassador Alaina Teplitz recently visited with dairy farmers benefitting from a US-funded Rs 2.2 billion worth programme to enhance dairy production in the country.
The US Embassy in a statement said the project titled ‘Marked-Oriented Dairy’ launched in May last year, is expected to increase local milk production by 94 percent by 2022.
“Farmers are the backbone of Sri Lanka’s economy and this project helps the country meet its goal of reaching self-sufficiency in dairy production,” Ambassador Teplitz was quoted as saying in the statement.
The project is expected to assist more than 15,000 farmers who would be taught on better feeding techniques and methods to look into the welfare of animals.
“On average, farmers with about six milking cows have increased their income by at least Rs 25,000 – 30,000 per month,” the statement said.
The Market-Oriented Dairy project is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food for Progress program,
The International Executive Service Corps, the University of Florida, the Global Dairy Platform, and Sarvodaya movement are assisting the project.
A Sri Lanka Air Force Bell 212 helicopter belonging to the No. 72 squadron has crashed into the Madhuru Oya reservoir this morning, Air FOrce Media Spokesman Eranda Geeganage said.
Update: Five of the twelve passengers on board the bell 212 aircraft that crashed into the Maduru Oya today, have succumbed to their injuries, the SLAF said.
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