Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2022-09-05

Multi-Sector Combined Mechanism for ensuring food security and nutrition

- The food security has been identified as the most challenging issue in the wake of the current economic crisis and the decline of domestic agricultural production and the increase of prices internationally have further intensified this issue. In this backdrop, an acute food shortage and the increase of price inflation could be anticipated in future and it will result in further deterioration of the food security. The increase of unemployment and the worst impact caused to the household income in the wake of the current economic crisis has complicated the access to the essential food items and there is a possibility of increasing the prices of food items further due to limited ability to purchase imported supplies given the depreciation of the value of Rupee. Accordingly, it has been planned to implement a short-term national programme within the next two years as an immediate step to ensure the food security and nutrition. As such, the proposal made by the Hon. President to establish a National Food Security and Nutrition Council and Multi Sector Combined Mechanism for food security and nutrition at provincial, district, divisional and Grama Niladhari levels in order to implement the said programme efficiently and effectively, was approved by the Cabinet.