Colombo, Sep 15 (IANS): Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka must start agricultural modernisation in 2023 to feed its growing population and become a net exporter of food, the President's Media Division (PMD) said.
Wickremesinghe made the statement on Wednesday at a meeting of the Multi-Sector Combined Committee to ensure food security and nutrition.
He added that agriculture can earn foreign exchange by enhancing production and competitiveness through the modernisation of agriculture, Xinhua news agency reported.
"By the end of 2023, we should get the modernisation programme going in full swing. We should earn foreign exchange from agriculture. By 2050, our population will be 25 million. This might be a problem if we don't modernise agriculture," he said.
Wickremesinghe added that the growing population, not only in Sri Lanka but globally, present many opportunities.