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Baurs to bring expert team to study Sri Lanka’s agriculture ecosystem
One of the pioneers in agriculture fertilizer and a leading diversified business group, A. Baur & Co. (Pvt.) Ltd., also known as Baurs, will be bringing down a team of renowned experts from Switzerland to study Sri Lanka’s agriculture ecosystem with the objective of providing scientific and practical solutions to converse into an organic approach.
Scheduled to arrive on August 1, the 10-day visit will include meetings and diverse interactions with all key stakeholders, including visits to sites and facilities that influence organic agriculture. The expert team will also conduct first-hand training in composting and organic farming, the need of the hour.
Soon after Sri Lanka’s decision to ban chemical fertilizers and pesticides, Baurs established dialogue with some of the leading agriculture institutions in the world to gather insights and expertise on best practices and emerging technologies to successfully embrace the challenge.
Baurs teamed up with Switzerland-based Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (HAFL) of Bern University of Applied Sciences, both considered as world leaders in the research and development of organic agriculture. FiBL and HAFL will work together with other local and international organisations with domain knowledge in the subject matter.
Home to some of the leading institutes for organic agriculture, Switzerland has the sixth highest penetration of organic farming in the world, with 16.5% of agriculture land being organic farmland. It also has the second highest per capita consumption of organic food and ranks as the seventh largest organic market globally.
The expert team will bring the best of both worlds. They will not just bring the best academic experience to Sri Lanka but also their significant experience in implementing practical projects across the world with much of it focused on developing economies. The expert team will comprise four very senior members from both FiBL and HAFL.
Dr. Christoph Studer is Professor of Natural Resources Management at HAFL and has worked with international agricultural research centers. He is engaged in various R&D projects and consultancy services.
Dr. Gurbir S Bhullar is a Senior Scientist in Tropical Agroecosystems at HAFL, previously leading the thematic area of ‘Sustainable Agriculture in the Tropics’ at FiBL for eight years. He comes from a farming family with a wealth of experience in farming systems research in Asia and Africa.
Dr. Jacques G Fuchs is a senior scientist in plant pathology and soil quality at FiBL and a board member of Swiss Society for Phytiatry. He is also the founder of Biophyt AG, a company specialized in the biological quality of compost, compost utilization and development of compost-based products.
Paul van den Berge joined FiBL after having managed his own organic farm and is an expert in various fields to include organic horticultural crops, market development, and standard setting. He is a member of the Standards Committee of International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM).
Following the comprehensive and cohesive study, the expert team will later develop an integrated plan backed by scientific and professional evidence and expertise to support Sri Lanka’s efforts in embracing organic agriculture.
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.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
