The Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan
Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan raised a Standing Order 27(2) question on the Vaddakkachchi Agriculture School and Farm in Kilinochchi, noting that unlike similar institutions in Thirunelveli, Kundaasale and Vavuniya-Thandikulam, it has been inactive since the 1990s. He said the farm once comprised about 400 acres, employed hundreds of workers, supported seed and livestock development, and contributed to local livelihoods, but that parts of its land are now reportedly occupied by the military and Civil Security Department. He asked the Minister to state the farm’s total acreage, how much land is held by those entities and when it will be returned, and whether the Government will restore the farm and support agricultural research, new seed varieties, livestock breeds, employment and income generation there.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Under Standing Order 27(2), to the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation:
¶ 02 In the 1950s, state agricultural farms and schools were established at Thirunelveli and Kundaasale, and at Vaddakkachchi in Kilinochchi. The Thirunelveli and Kundaasale institutions, as well as the later Vavuniya-Thandikulam school and farm (from the 1980s), still operate and award diplomas with training. But the Vaddakkachchi Agriculture School and Farm lost functionality after the 1990s.
¶ 03 This farm had about 400 acres of highland and paddy, with over 400 staff and casual workers. It developed new seed varieties, introduced innovations and breeds (cattle, goats, pigs, poultry), and contributed to jobs and GDP. Now it is inactive, and much of the land has reportedly been forcibly occupied by the military and the Civil Security Department (CSD).
¶ 04 1. What is the total acreage (paddy and highland) of the farm? 2. How much is held by the military and CSD, and when will it be returned to the Department? 3. Will the Government restore the farm to provide jobs and income as before? 4. Will the Government support new seed varieties, breeds, and agricultural research and innovation there?
Provenance
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- Hansard, Wednesday, 7 January 2026 ·No. 23112 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 7 January 2026. No. 23112. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/23282