Online edition of Sunday Observer - Business: "Western Province Agriculture Department has launched a special program to mitigate mental and physical drawbacks of tsunami affected people. The program is based on agricultural and psychological strategies while facilitating self-development activities. The program which includes agricultural activities ensuring them long term benefits would initiate from Bentota to Negombo. Provincial Department of Agriculture Director Dr. T.T. Ranasinghe said that their intention was to assist the tsunami affected people with some rehabilitation and reconstruction of economic, social and environment damages. According to Dr. Ranasinghe training on small scale value added processes in food processing technology for efficient fish produce and initiation of Plant Protein Food Crop cultivations in urban homesteads will be the priorities. Establishment of mushroom cultivations as leisure activities and expansion of home gardening activities will also be combined into the program. Agriculture Department also plans to provide training for GCE O/L qualified youth on Vocational Agriculture while providing necessary directions for small and medium scale agro-entrepreneurship and career guidance emphasisng on sustainable development. Introduction of efficient firewood stoves which enables the reduction of fire wood consumption in households, etc. will also be a nother aspect that will be included "
