Sunday Nov 24, 2024
Sunday Nov 24, 2024
Monday, 13 June 2016 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Janathakshan (Gte) Ltd. and People In Need, Czech Republic partook at the Agriculture Fair and Exhibition in Batticaloa in commemoration of World Environment Day 2016. Funded by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and International Finance Corporation, many government and non-governmental organisations took part at this event.
These organisations included the Department of Animal Production and Health, Department of Agriculture, Eastern Province University, Palmyrah Board, Industrial Department, Eastern Province University Agriculture Research Unit, Eastern Provincial Council including the Department of Local Government Offices and NGOs including Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Janathakshan Gte Ltd. The exhibition was held from 1 to 3 June.
“We are really thrilled about this initiative and partnership with other key partner organisations working on waste management. The local government getting involved in the process adds much more value to it and plays an immense role in getting across our messaging as well,” said People in Need Country Director Hugo Agostinho.
The exhibition was an important communication and visibility tool for the project to not only get spread the word on the importance of biogas but also instigate interest in acquiring a unit among the Batticaloa community. Eastern province is among the five targeted project provinces and has already shown a great deal of interest through their provincial biogas promotion committees spearheaded by local government authorities as well as the general interest in biogas through the number of biogas units in the area.
“The exhibition was a good opportunity for us to not only promote our technologies but also come together with like-minded organisations working towards proper waste management techniques and general conservation towards a sustainable environment,” said Janathakshan Project Manager Damitha Samarakoon.
The EU SWITCH-Asia initiative is a joint partnership between People in Need, Cz and local partner Janathakshan funded by the European Union. The project is focused on up-scaling biogas technologies for sustainable development, responsible tourism, economic growth contributing to poverty reduction and climate change mitigation in Sri Lanka. The project targets tourism Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), households and public authorities in the country while building the technical capacity of manufacture and construction SMEs in biogas technologies. The project also supports micro-finance institutions to develop financial schemes providing loans for biogas installations to SMEs and households. Furthermore, the training and capacity building component of the initiative assists local construction sector to enhance its technical and entrepreneurial competences regarding manufacturing and installation of biogas systems.
