Minister of Agriculture K.D. Lal Kantha says he had no personal ambition to become a Member of Parliament or hold a ministerial portfolio, but accepted the responsibility following a request from President Anura Dissanayake, in order to serve the country’s struggling farming community.
Speaking at a recent public meeting, Lal Kantha said that although he contested the last general election from Nuwara Eliya, his goal was not to secure a parliamentary seat but to contribute meaningfully to the political process. “I didn’t contest to become an MP just for the sake of it. I wanted to prove that I could win without aiming for a position,” he said.
He explained that once he began working closely with people on the ground, there was growing public expectation for him to officially enter politics. “Eventually, I couldn’t stay out of the election. People expected me to step forward, so I did,” he noted.
Lal Kantha revealed that even after the election, he had considered stepping down to allow someone from the grassroots to take his place in Parliament. “I had no real desire to be an MP. But I was appointed, and later, the President asked me to take on the Agriculture Ministry, which also includes irrigation, land, and Mahaweli development. He said, ‘Lala, commit to this for five years.’ I couldn’t say no.”
The minister added that he had no intention of seeking a ministerial title, but accepted the role in the interest of rebuilding the agriculture sector and improving the lives of rural farmers.
He also said that State Minister Namal Rajapaksa and another state minister are assisting with key areas such as irrigation and land, and that there is now strong leadership in place to carry out meaningful reforms.
“The cultural and structural foundations of agriculture have eroded. We once built a solid system with elements like irrigation system, but that foundation has weakened. Now we are rebuilding it,” Lal Kantha said.
He stressed that addressing farmer poverty is a top priority. Referring to a recent sermon by Buddhist clergy that highlighted the plight of poor farmers, the minister said, “We have launched a coordinated mission to lift our farming communities out of poverty. All our departments are working together. There should be no doubt—we are committed to real action.”
“We are determined to remove the label of ‘poor farmer’ from this country. That’s our goal,” he added.
