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Lanka imports nano-fertiliser from India despite local scientist discovering the concept 10 years ago
It is unfortunate that Sri Lanka has to import advanced nano-fertiliser from India although the Sri Lankan scientists invented it 10 years back, the University of Sri Jayewardenepura says..
Text of the media statement: “Sri Lanka is a country which was once considered as the “granary of the ancient east”; today we try to win back this status by making a paradigm shift in agricultural practices. “NANO” has become the buzz word among the people now. It’s unfortunate that we have to import advanced nano-fertiliser from India while our own scientists discovered the concept 10 years back!
“Prof. Nilwala Kottegoda, Head of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and the team at Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC) developed a new nano-fertiliser product in 2010 and received four US patents at a time where nano-fertiliser was new to the scientific community. Thus, the technology for the production of efficient nano-fertiliser was introduced to the world about 11 years ago from Sri Lanka. This innovation was rated as a global first by the World Intellectual Property Organisation and Prof. Kottegoda was selected as one of the nine most inventive women scientists, based on this new concept.
“In this innovation, urea molecules were anchored onto biocompatible hydroxyapatite nanoparticles thus minimising the wastage of urea as gaseous emissions and water-soluble leachates. This new solid fertiliser contains 40% of nitrogen while supplying plant-available 6% phosphorus when applied to the soil. The efficacy of the fertiliser has been tested at the farmer field level for tea and rice. The field trials suggest that the new formulation reduces 25-40% nitrogen usage with a yield improvement of up to 20 %. The process has been scaled up to pilot-scale production.
“Prof. Kottegoda’s research team at the USJ has further developed a greener process of nano-fertiliser production that has minimum energy, water, and environmental footprint. They also have explored a method to introduce other nutrients into the same formulation thus increasing its potential as a “mother of fertilizer”. This extended innovation has already received two patents belonging to USJ.
“Commercial production of high efficiency nano-fertiliSer has not yet commenced in Sri Lanka. But a leading fertiliser manufacturing company in India, anticipating the future value of the discovery, had purchased the technology in 2013 for commercial exploitation through the Sri Lankan government. However, patent rights are retained with SLINTEC. Therefore, Sri Lanka to this day, still has production rights over this product, meaning that the potential for Sri Lanka to become a manufacturing hub for this product does exist. But it’s unfortunate, today, the Sri Lankan government has to import nano-fertiliser from India at a huge cost.
“There is no action plan yet for the production of nano-fertilisers in Sri Lanka, which are highly efficient, economically viable and environmentally friendly”, said Prof. Nilwala Kottegoda.”
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
