News
Rotaract Club of ANC and HARTI combine to boost domestic agriculture
The Rotaract Club of the American National College (ANC) has partnered with the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute (HARTI) to boost domestic agriculture, foster economic growth, and promote sustainability.
The initiative, named ‘Ran Goyama,’ focuses on Sustainable Development Goal No 8 (SDG8), ‘Decent work and economic growth,’ sought to re-cultivate the abandoned paddy fields in ‘Jayaweeragoda Yaya’ of the Seethawaka Divisional Secretariat Division.
The Rotaract Club of ANC made a significant financial contribution towards the purchase of seed paddy. HARTI, in line with SDG8, has implemented a project titled ‘Participatory Conservation and Productivity Improvement of Paddy-based Ecosystem in Low Country Wet zone’ through which the institute engages with local farming communities to ensure decent and voluntary participation in paddy farming, thereby improving the economic status of their households while contributing to the preservation of a long-neglected ecosystem.
HARTI, accordingly, provided guidance and coordination to ensure that agricultural practices followed by farmers are sustainable and environmentally friendly.
The partnership grew out of shared concerns regarding the abandonment of paddy land for technical and non-technical leading to serious socio-economic and environmental problems, especially in the low country wet zone.
‘From the ecological point of view, preserving this ecosystem, which had been abandoned for almost half a century, is of special importance,’ said Rotaractor Odrini Weerakkody of American National College.
‘During the Covid-19 pandemic, people living in suburban areas had to pay significantly higher prices for food items due to their dependence on long food chains that were disrupted during the pandemic. Therefore, we recognised the importance of promoting local food production and shorten food miles and lead to local self-sufficiency,’ she added.
Weerakkody also pointed out that ‘abandoned paddies are often misused for waste disposal, leading to poor drainage, dengue transmission and other problems.’
‘Frequent floods and overflowing canals have made life difficult. Data shows that in Colombo district alone, 181 Grama Niladhari Divisions (GNDs) subject to floods and canals are overflowing in 146 GNDs. Paddy lands, classified as shallow wetlands according to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, have the capacity to hold excess rainwater, but the problems have directly and indirectly been caused by the abandonment of those paddies.’
An additional benefit of the project is to develop the entrepreneurial capacity of the local people. Attracting youth to agriculture, which is a missing sector in the current context, is of utmost importance to utilize available resources to achieve economic productivity through this labour-intensive sector.
By contributing to the sowing of paddy fields that had been abandoned for a long time, this initiative has aimed not only at food production but also at long-term sustainability. The use of locally sourced seed paddy ‘Rath El’ also ensures that the agricultural output is adapted to the local climate and soil conditions, reducing the need for chemical interventions and promoting a greener approach to farming. The project has indeed acted as a catalyst for community cohesion and environmental respect, providing a stellar example of how economic activities can be aligned with environmental conservation.
Moreover, the initiative has fostered a spirit of cooperation among local people to share resources to achieve a socio-cultural goal of preserving the neglected and increasingly disappearing cultural norms associated with rice farming.
Agriculture Research and Production Assistant, Lalani Suraweera, who oversees the Jayaweeragoda Grama Niladhari Division, was full of praise for the initiative taken by the Rotaract Club of the ANC.
‘I am immensely grateful to these children who came forward to support farmers, especially at a time when youth are moving out of paddy cultivation. The farmer had spent a lot of money to prepare around 20 acres of paddy land that had been abandoned for almost 50 years. The members of the Rotaract Club helped them purchase the seed paddy to grow the traditional Rath El variety. The students took the trouble to visit the area, watch the entire process, beginning from land preparation, and learn from the farmers themselves. The Department of Agrarian Development and the Jayaweeragoda Farmer Organisation are highly appreciative of their initiative and also the support extended by the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute.’
The success of the initiative is already visible. Farmers are enjoying the beauty of the Rath El plants swaying in the wind and with time aim to establish a seed-paddy production centre to cater to the needs of the people in the surrounding areas.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
