Nestlé Coconut Development Plan supports 500 more rural families in Northern Province

Tuesday, 7 January 2025 01:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

From left: Vavuniya Coconut Cultivation Board Regional Manager Manjula Hewamalawi, Nestlé Lanka Managing Director Bernie Stefan, Director – Corporate Affairs and Communications Ruwan Welikala handing over a coconut plantlet to Nestlé Coconut Development Plan beneficiary

From left: Nestlé Lanka Director – Corporate Affairs and Communications Ruwan Welikala and Managing Director Bernie Stefan planting a coconut plantlet

Expands the long-running program in collaboration with the Coconut Cultivation Board

The Nestlé Coconut Development Plan was expanded recently, benefitting 500 rural families in the Northern Province. Conducted for the eighth year running in collaboration with the Coconut Cultivation Board of Sri Lanka (CCB), the program has supported approximately 5,000 home-growers with hybrid coconut plantlets and other resources with the ambition of expanding coconut cultivation in Sri Lanka. This program has also taken measures to train beneficiaries on best practices of coconut cultivation by conducting on-ground training programs and providing fertiliser for cultivation.

Sharing his thoughts on this public-private partnership, Vavuniya Coconut Cultivation Board Regional Manager Manjula Hewamalawi said, “I am filled with immense pride and gratitude as we expand the Nestlé Coconut Development Plan even further to support more rural families. Over the years, this worthy initiative has been instrumental in encouraging coconut cultivation in non-traditional coconut growing areas and has served as a platform for sharing knowledge, which has helped improve cultivation techniques, address challenges, and explore new avenues for coconut cultivation.”

“Our long-running coconut development programme stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to improve coconut cultivation in Sri Lanka. As the largest exporters of coconut milk powder in the country, I am proud to be able to support home growers in different parts of the country, in addition to the thousands of farmers we procure from. Together with the CCB and our Nestlé Coconut Development Plan families, we will continue to unlock the true potential of this invaluable crop by adopting best practices, including regenerative agricultural practices which are also good for the planet. We take great pride in this programme, which aims to achieve self-sufficiency in coconut cultivation, whilst uplifting livelihoods and fostering a prosperous future for the local coconut industry and the economy,” said Nestlé Lanka Managing Director Bernie Stefan.