Techno innovations being put in place to transform agriculture

By Hiran H. Senewiratne

Sri Lanka should take necessary steps to modernize the agro sector to reap real economic benefits for both farmers and consumers, State Minister of Technology, Kanaka Herath said.

“The time has come to accelerate the transformation of this sector with technology with the ever increasing demand for food due population growth. Inclusive Digital Agriculture Transformation is the national strategy to achieve this. Agriculture has been the backbone of the Sri Lankan community for generations and nearly 30 percent of the population is engaged in agricultural activities, he told the media at the launch of the “Govi Lab” Agri Tech Accelerator, jointly with Sarvodaya – a leading grassroots organization, in collaboration with Hatch Works.

Herath added: ‘We know, the contribution of agriculture to the national GDP is less than 10 percent. So there is a significant gap. Over 40 percent of the produce is wasted due to wildlife encounters and other issues.

‘Due to this the price of the produce is high. Two key points to note here today is by introducing ways to reduce waste and add value it will contribute directly to GDP. The farmers and the end customer will get better pricing.’

Meanwhile, Chief Program Officer, Hatch, Mevan Peiris said: “The GoviLab Accelerator aligns with our focused vertical for AgriTech and Sustainable Innovation – Hatch Green. We are hoping to identify and accelerate technologies that are capable of solving challenges of smallholder farmers across Sri Lanka to empower them and bring disruptive Innovation to the agriculture sector.”

President, Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne said: “Sarvodaya’s experience of over 65 years of engaging and empowering over 15,000 grassroots communities across the country is complemented by Hatch’s expertise. This partnership provides a unique synergy that hopes to bring tangible benefits to Sri Lanka’s agriculture sector.

He said the primary objective of the GoviLab AgriTech Accelerator is to uplift Sri Lanka’s agriculture industry by adopting a holistic approach.

“This involves not only identifying and supporting startups with innovative solutions but also working with various stakeholders, including other international development agencies, private sector and the government to scale up the country’s agri-technology and startup ecosystem to support smallholder farmers, thus creating sustainable and impactful changes that resonate throughout the agriculture value chain, Dr Ariyaratne said .The application process is now open, and interested startups can submit their proposals for consideration. For more information please contact lalindri@hatch.lk