Sri Lanka Agripreneurs’ Forum to hold workshop on protected agriculture

• First workshop on 20 December from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Partners with HNB, Unipower, and CIC

In a bid to promote protected agriculture in the country, Sri Lanka Agripreneurs’ Forum has partnered with HNB, Unipower, and CIC to conduct a full-day workshop on 20 December. 

The workshop focuses on educating the existing protected agriculture growers on the new technologies, scientific growing methods as well as providing access to sustainable markets for higher profits. 

Protected agriculture is one of the most practical adaptation strategies to minimise the impacts of climatic changes on crop production and optimisation and reduced the cost of inputs for better financial returns. Further, it opens up the possibility for off-season production with limited resources. However, Sri Lanka has been slow in adopting the usages of protected agriculture compared to countries like China, India, and Israel who have been extremely successful in practicing cultivation using protected agriculture under extreme climatic conditions. 

The workshop will cover areas such as how to construct a polytunnel scientifically, selection of seeds for polytunnel cultivation, effective ways of controlling pests and diseases in polytunnels, plant nutrient management for tunnel crops, and cultivation based on market demand. It will be followed by a problem-solving session and panel discussion to address key issues brought out by the audience.

Sri Lanka is at a point in history where it’s facing its worst economic crisis and as a result of it food security for Sri Lankans are at risk. According to a report from UNICEF in October 2022, 5.7 million including 2.3 million children are in dire need of food support. 15.7% of children under the age of five suffer from malnutrition. 

The partner companies are also interested in developing sustainable agriculture in Sri Lanka and are dedicated to improving the lives of millions of farmers in the country.

The workshop has been organised to be held on 20 December from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Conference Hall, HNB Towers, No. 479, T.B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10. Participants can join the workshop free of charge and refreshments will be provided. 

SLAF, as the premier forum for agribusiness in Sri Lanka places modernised agriculture at the forefront of improving food security in Sri Lanka. SLAF believes that only through the upliftment of the sector through providing access to knowledge on scientific growing practices and technology, markets, and finance, can Sri Lankans to mitigate this danger and avert such unfortunate situations in the future. As a part of this objective, SLAF has identified the importance of expanding protected agriculture as one such potential contributor to elevated national agri-output. 

All interested participants to attend this workshop are kindly requested to text their full name, address, crops cultivated, and extent of protected cultivation in square feet to 071-963-0759 via WhatsApp or contact them at [email protected] for more details.