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SLIM Sri Lanka unveils Agribusiness Entrepreneurship program
by Sanath Nanayakkare
SLIM Sri Lanka has taken a new initiative towards its commitment to restart SrI Lanka’s economy by uplifting skills in the agribusiness sector.
With this objective in mind, SLIM recently unveiled their new Certificate in Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship (CABE) which generates a number of learning outcomes, and entrepreneurial opportunities for the certificate holders.
The talent pool emerging from the program is expected to help boost agriculture’s contribution to the gross domestic product of the economy.
The course is designed to provide insights on market strategy, technical/practical skills and financial assistance available in the market for agripreneurs.
The collaborators for the course of study are: Sri Lanka Agripreneurs Forum, SAPP, FSLGA, The Ceylon Chamber Academy, SAPP, EDB, SLT Mobitel, Keells, Samaposha, and Onesh Agri.
The learning outcomes of the course are:
*Acquisition of entrepreneurial skills essential for starting and managing a successful, sustainable agribusiness ventures
* Gaining marketing, accounting, supply chain management and finance skills to make sound business decisions
* Understanding marketing as a philosophy, a business function, evolution and its key compositions
* Applying the correct approaches to market segmentation, targeting and positioning in developing marketing strategies
To impart the knowledge on these areas, the course consists of 11 modules including Smart Agriculture and building an entrepreneurial business plan.
The course will have a blended learning approach with a combination of field training and online sessions
The content and presentations will be made in all three languages. The course fee is Rs. 35,000
This process driven course of study at grassroots level could help collaborative partners to identify and pick the right talent for their own organizations.
Further, the certificate holders with right talent will likely have local and overseas market opportunities with the EDB, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce – Academy and other collaborative partners.
Suresh de Mel, Export Development Board Chairman, the chief guest of the event, assured EDB’s fullest support to SLIM and other collaborative partners to make the course a fruitful one for the agribusiness sector in Sri Lanka and for potential agripreneurs in terms of creating marketing opportunities for them.
SLIM President Roshan Fernando said, “This course of study will provide the participants with a rich and rewarding experience in agri-sector marketing. This is the promise we give for transformation of our value added agriculture produces to be effectively marketed in Sri Lanka and overseas. SLIM will be building a competent pool of agri-business marketers as an outcome of this program.
“I urge the agr-business leaders gathered here to pick the right talent from the pool when it’s ready, to nurture them and if possible help take them to graduation level, because in the future your organizations will benefit from their meaningful contribution”.
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
