Hayleys Group and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will partner in a ground-breaking pilot project to revive and advance the potential for linking farmers in two poorer districts to commercial agriculture, states a US Embassy press release. The six-month pilot project commencing on April 1 will benefit 120 farmer families in Ampara and Moneragala districts through the introduction of the latest knowledge, techniques, and inputs for the cultivation of three cash crops with high revenue potential. Gherkins, pineapples and jalapeno peppers will be grown in 50 acres that have either lain fallow or been previously used for subsistence farming. The objective of the project is to motivate farmers in these areas, some of which have been affected by the conflict, to embrace modern agriculture practices and to empower them to substantially improve their income from agriculture by switching to cash crops that are in demand. USAID/Sri Lanka's Director, Rebeecca Cohn, said the Hayleys Group had been selected to implement the project on the basis of the company's expertise in cultivation, harvesting, packaging and marketing of such crops, its successful outgrower programmes and the company's historic and enduring affinity with agriculture. Cohn said, "Our partnership with Hayleys, that we are creating today, will help build a value chain that will bring sustainable economic growth to those in serious need in the Eastern and Uva provinces. This is one way in which people can move up the path from poverty to prosperity.' she said. "This is one of the most exciting projects in the agriculture sector as it seeks to bring modern agriculture and successful practices employed in Hayleys' agribusiness to a long neglected area of our country,' Mr. Zaheed said. "The success of the pilot project could be the catalyst for an agricultural renaissance in the Eastern and Uva provinces through a conversion to modern practices and concepts. "He said Hayleys would provide extension services to support this transition and help set up farmer organisation, outgrower programmes, infrastructure, and collecting centers in these districts to ensure sustanibility of the results achieved through the pilot project. The successful outcomes from this pilot project are expected to be speedily replicated on a commercial scale and could be a model for others interested in the agricultural development of the Eastern region and other poorer areas of the country, Zaheed added. A formal agreement between USAID and Sunfrost to implement of the project was ratified on March 26 at the office of the latter in the Biyagama Free Trade Zone. Among the activities covered by the mandate of the project are the identification of farmer families, selection of land plots on scientific basis, soil testing for pH and micronutrients, workshops and training programmes for farmers, involvement of government and NGO representatives in the two districts, regular visits by experts from Hayleys to the project sites for technical assistance, extension services, monitoring and evaluation and assessments of and reporting on increased farmer productivity and income and best practices implemented. One area of focus will be the introduction of efficient post-harvest processes to minimise post-harvest losses. The farmers selected to participate in the pilot project belong to the three ethnic communities predominant in the two districts, Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims, Zaheed said.