The Journal of Agricultural Sciences – Sri Lanka re-launched

By Harsha Udayakantha Peiris

Commemorating the Web of Science Indexing and re-launching of the Journal of Agricultural Sciences – Sri Lanka published by the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of Sabaragamuwa

University will be held on 12 March at the Main Auditorium of the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Colombo. 

Minister of Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation and Rural Development, Minister of Internal Trade, Food Security, Consumer Welfare and State Minister of Defence Chamal Rajapaksa will be the Chief Guest of the event. 

Recently, ‘The Journal of Agricultural Sciences – Sri Lanka’ (JAS-SL) received its highest evaluation so far, the inclusion of the Master Journal List of the Web of Science Group under Agricultural Sciences/Agriculture Multidisciplinary Category. Accordingly, the journal is now indexed with ISSN/eISSN 1391 – 9318/2386-1363 for Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI). 

Adding to the record of new knowledge in the agriculture and agri-industry based academic discipline, it is also the fifth journal to receive coverage in the Master Journal List of Web of Science Group from Sri Lanka. According to Web Science Group, it is exclusive that the coverage for the Journal of Agricultural Sciences – Sri Lanka (JAS – SL) has issued back dated from its 1st issue of 12th volume 2017. 

‘Master Journal List’ is a Web of Science Group tool, allowing researchers to search across all journals indexed in Web of Science. Here, researchers can search, filter, and compare journals to determine which journal is the most suitable match in terms of aims and scope, content, audience and publication requirements. 

‘The Journal of Agricultural Sciences’ (JAS-SL) is also the first agriculture based research journal indexed in the prestigious Scopus Index from Sri Lanka. The journal is published as a quarterly publication annually on 1 January, May and September. Scopus is the largest abstract and the citation database by the Content Selection & Advisory Board (CSAB). It has also been included in DOAJ, Agora, Ebocus, TEEAL, Cabi abstracts and more than 25 other renowned journal indexings.

The journal was initiated through a memorandum to commence a Journal in Agricultural Sciences submitted to the Faculty Board of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka by the then Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department, Dr. Rohana P. Mahaliyanaarachchi in early 2004. In June 2004, Dr Rohana P. Mahaliyanaarachchi became the Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and accelerated the process. Accordingly, the first issue of the Journal was published on 1 January 2005. 

“Today, we are proud to have this kind of an international journal published by a local university from Sri Lanka being an island that has a diverse array of both traditional and modern agricultural practices. The innovations and latest research papers published in the journal not only helps agricultural researchers, students of academia and policy makers in Sri Lanka but also a wider scope of international readership in and outside this region to enhance their knowledge on latest development of research based innovations and agricultural practices in global agricultural arena. 

“The journal is a forum to publish innovative knowledge in the field of agriculture for the readers to search novel findings on emerging agri-businesses, agri-industry as well as agriculture as a vast discipline of study. Since its inception 13 years ago, the objective of initiating this journal has been focused towards providing a forum for Sri Lankan and international scholars especially in Asia and Africa to publish authoritative and well referenced articles in agriculture related areas and issues,” the Editor in Chief of the Journal, Prof. Rohana P. Mahaliyanaarachchi of the Department of Agri Business Management, Faculty of Agricultural sciences of the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka states. 

According to Prof. Mahaliyanaarachchi, the publication is a peer reviewed journal aiming to publish high quality articles on topical issues in Agriculture. It provides a forum for Sri Lankan and international scholars especially in Asia and Africa to publish authoritative and well referenced articles in agriculture related areas. The journal publishes original research works, book reviews, short communications and comparative articles. 

“To date, besides this journal, there isn’t a single journal related to agriculture in Sri Lanka that is published on time and at a regular interval. Therefore, through the Journal of Agricultural Sciences – Sri Lanka, we have been able to fill this vacuum. The journal publishes high quality research papers with current value and importance and professionals and researchers can use these papers as reference material for their research work. Further, policy makers and decision makers in agriculture in Sri Lanka and other related countries can use these research findings for, in time policy making processes and timely decision making in agri-based issues,” Prof. Mahaliyanaarachchi says.

The journal that has a renowned Board of Editorial from Sri Lanka, Bulgaria, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, India, Azerbaijan, USA, Japan, Philippines, Australia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Canada, Bangladesh and People’s Republic of China includes authoritative and well referenced articles and research work in agriculture by authors from the said countries and other economies such as Nepal, Iran, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, South Korea, South Africa, Tunisia and Iraq.

The journal has also opened a reliable and effective avenue for international organisations to have an overview on how agricultural research is going on in these countries and especially in Asia and Africa, enabling international bodies to focus their development and research programs accordingly for an adverse array of program participants that vary from government officials, professionals, agri-based entrepreneurs and journalists from member economies.

The Journal of Agricultural Sciences – Sri Lanka is a successful result of a collective effort for the past period of 13 years together with a team of professional Editorial Committee, reviewers, authors, manuscripts submitters and specialists in and outside the University. The Journal of Agricultural Sciences – Sri Lanka (JAS-SL) is also available free of charge on the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka website at http://www.sab.ac.lk/agri-journal