CIC Manussakama hosts two-day workshop for CIC ‘Shoora Govi Peramuna’

A training workshop was recently held at the Gannoruwa Training Institute organized by CIC under the Manussakama program, aiming to disseminate knowledge on new agricultural technology for the ‘CIC Shoora Govi Peramuna’.

CIC Manussakama was launched by CIC Agri Businesses in 2008 to uplift the lives of the rural agricultural community. Since inceptiona number of initiatives have been implemented under this program with a precise insight into the needs of the rural agri population, thus rendering an award winning humanitarian service that has earned many awards and accolades locally and internationally.

CIC Agri Businesses stepped into the limelight by becoming the first Sri Lankan company to claim the award for the Best Social Services Program at the ‘Asia Pacific Responsible Entrepreneurship Award 2013’, after beating 48 countries. The company also won the title for Asia Pacific Enterprise Leadership award in the same year.  CIC Manussakama has been recognised and awarded at scores of award ceremonies including E-Swabhimani, E-India, Sumathi, Marco, Swarna Lanka and Derana Music Awards.

With the aim of recognising the potential of young agricultural entrepreneurs in the country and rewarding their talents, the CIC Shoora Goviya competition series was conducted by the CIC under their Manussakama program consecutively for four years from 2009 to 2013. The competition, being a novel concept, drew social recognition towards the young entrepreneurs involved in the agricultural sector.

CIC Shoora Govi Peramuna encompasses 80 young agricultural entrepreneurs, comprising 20 finalists chosen after each final round. The members of the CIC Shoora Govi Peramuna have the privilege of participating in comprehensive training programs on contemporary agricultural technologies of the 21st century, conducted by two lecture panels comprising special lecturers from the Department of Agriculture and professors from Peradeniya University.

A two-day training workshop of the program series was held under the collaboration of CIC Agri Businesses and CIC Holdings at the Gannoruwa Training Institute recently. The effective training sessions were conducted by Professor Buddhi Marambe of Peradeniya University’s Agriculture Faculty and Advisor of CIC Manussakama, Wasantha Dukgannarala. 

The welcome speech and a lecture on positive thinking were delivered Dukgannarala. 

Professor Marambe enlightened the audience concerning the future program plan as well as the consequences of using harmful alternatives by farmers to control weed following the glyphosate ban. The insightful lectures were followed by a session of discussions where the participants had the opportunity to raise questions with regard to current issues faced by the agricultural sector.

Professor Pushpakumara shed light upon the importance of using new varieties in cultivation and explained its advantages. Doctor Punyawardena joining the program elaborated on global and local climate changes and the importance of water management as a precautionary measure to face draught conditions caused by climate changes.

Chief GAP Certificate Implementer A.S.M. Roshan expressed his views on the significance of obtaining the GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) certificate in export agriculture and the provisions of obtaining the certificate within Sri Lanka free of charge. Manju Gunawardena also joining the lecture panel introduced the innovative concepts of using drone technology in large scale cultivations, and demonstrated how to conveniently control the drones via a mobile app. 

Supporting and promoting the agricultural enterprises of the members of CIC Shoora Govi Peramuna, by providing exposure to new agricultural technology, and thereby spreading awareness on new technology among other farmers in their respective localities stands as the prime objective of these workshops.

CIC Shoora Govi Peramuna has scheduled the next workshop to be held in the first week of March this year and preparations are underway to continue the success of the previous years through a new series of programs.