Primary Responsibilities

Development of Project proposal received from various institutions operating under the Ministry and submission of the same to Donor Agencies and, following the receipt of approval, entrusting the them to implementing agencies  and follow up. Establishment  of relationship  with foreign countries and international organization while maintaining  external relationship advantages to both parties. Providing information on international trade agreements related to international trading and coordination of the same applicable  to the field of agriculture are the primary objectives of the Project Division.

 Activities of 2019

A)    Coordination of projects being implemented on foreign funds.

01.Projects under the  on JICA funnds.

Procurement and repairing of equipment used in the National Plant Quarantine Service(NPQS).

Objective : Maintain National Plant Quarantine Service on par with the  international standards.

Implementing Agency : National Plant Quarantine Service /Department of Agriculture

Thrust Area: Increasing of Agriculture Productivity/Marketing.

Repair and replacement of the existing technical equipment  to be used by the National Plant Quarantine Service with modern equipment with the objective of promoting sustainable agriculture, maintaining agricultural export and import on par with international standards as a strategy to build a healthy society, availability of competitive for plants and plant productions being exported, introduction of modern technologies to enable exporting countries to gain access to international market of importing countries. In the importing of plants/plant product exporting countries are among the project components for which the Japanese International Co-operation Agency provided a financial assistance of Rs. 259.6 Min.

02.Project implemented under assistance provided by African Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO)

Initiative of commercial bread fruit production in Sri Lanka.

Objective: Promoting under utilized food rich in nutrition and value addition.

Implimention Agency / Responsibility : Department of Agriculture /Fruit Research & Development Institute

Thrust Areas: Agriculture Productivity enhancement/Marketing .

This project has bean launched with the objective of eradicating poverty among farmer community, female contribution in obtaining food security and nutrition position through promoting  sustainable  agriculture and further expansion of bread fruit cultivation in Sri Lanka on commercial basis through Rs. 6 Mn AARDO assistance   during the period from 2017-2019.

0.3. Projects implemented under Korean International Co-operation Agency (KOICA)

Project for modernization of National Plant Quarantine Service.

Objective : Strengthening of plant Quarantine Service in the Colombo port and Bandaranayake Air port.

mplementing Agency /Responsibility : Department Agriculture /National plant Quarantine Service.

Thrust Areas: Agriculture Productivity enhancement /marketing construction of a new building with required facilities for strengthening of Plant Quarantine Service in the Bandaranayake International Airport and the Colombo Port, staff capacity building and creation of laboratory facilities . The project is being implemented with KOICA assistance of Rs. 54.822 Million during the period 2019 - 2020

04. Projects Implemented under Korean Project for International Agriculture (KOPIA)

Objective:  Up grading of agriculture research activates under finance and technological assistance of international agencies.

Implementing Agency /Responsibility: Department of Agriculture

Thrust Area: Agriculture Productivity enhancement

I.                   Development of Production & Utilization technology for income increase of mushroom farmers

Objective of this project is to increase mushroom farmers’  finance through mushroom production expansion and increase the availability of high quality mushrooms is to train 800 mushroom farmers , establish 175 new farms, where new varieties are being produced. These total allocated amount for 03 years under KOPIA funding is USD 263,000 which include USD 195,000 and local fund of USD 68,000 implemented through the Department of Agriculture during 2017-2019.

II.                 Establishing Farm Based Chili Hybrid Seed Production System in Sri Lanka

This project has been planed for implementation during the period from  2019-2021 expecting increased harvest( >35/Ha)  through cultivation of  new chili varieties resistant to pest and diseases. Target of the project is to produce 300 kg of Hybrid Chili seeds per year and to minimize the diference between the potential yield and the actual yield. Further this Project is implemented with the objective of reducing the hybrid seed importation up to 50% Established to spend USD 105,000 under KOPIA fund and USD 60,000 under local fund during 03 year project period. Allocation for 2019 is USD 35,000

III.             Follow-up Management of High Quality Onion Seed Production Demonstration Village

Two year project (2018-2019) implemented by the Department of Agriculture with the allocation of USD 10,000 for 2019

IV.              Development of Technology to Increase Soya bean Productivity in Sri Lanka (2018-2020)

Project has implemented by the Department of Agriculture  with allocated provisions of USD 35,000.

V.                 Increase farmers Income of Sri Lanka by Improving Quality and Productivity of Mandarins (2018-2020)

Project implemented by the Department of Agriculture with allocated provisions of USD 35,000

05.  Asian food and Agriculture Co-operation initiative (AFACI) Funded Projects.

I.                    Development of Locally Appropriate GAP Programme and Agricultural Produce Safety Information system

This project is being implemented by the Department of Agriculture during the 03 year period 2018-2020 and the total estimated expenditure is USD 50,000

II.                 Development and Popularization of Mechanization Practices for Field Crop Targeting Small and Medium Scale Farmers with Special Attention to Pulse Crops.

This project is being implemented by the Department of Agriculture during 03 year period  2018-2020 and the total estimated expenditure is USD 30,000

III.              Improvement and adaptation of modern technology for continuous availability of selected fruit crops

Target of the project is to enhance the quality and availability of pineapple, guava, mango, rabutan, orange, mandarin and passion fruit and introduce new foreign varieties of pears, apple, strawberry and lemon suitable for local climatic condition. The 03 year project (2018-2020) is implemented under the Department of Agriculture at an estimated cost of USD 225,000

IV.              Construction of Epidemiology Information Interchange system for Migratory Disease and insect pests in Asia Region (IPM)

Project period is  2013 - 2019 to be implemented at a cost of USD 50,000

V.                Establishment of Network and Model Manual on Post Harvest Technology of Horticulture Crops. Project period is 2016-2018 to be implemented at an estimated cost of USD 30,000

VI.              Demonstration Project to Distribute National Superior Seeds of Food Crops and Transfer Agricultural Technology (Seed Extension Project)

Project period is 2016-2018 to be implemented at an estimated cost of USD 42,000

VII.           Technology Dissemination of virus Free Seed Potato Production Using Hydroponic Production System (Seed Potato)

Project period is 2019-2020 to be implemented as aof USD 14,000

VIII.        Agricultural Product Processing and Development

2019-2021 still at preliminary stage

IX.              Improvement and adoption of modern technology for continuous availability of selected fruit crops-Project (2018-2020) is to Increase the farmer income and increase the fruit consumption increase the exportation with high quality, increase fruit availability. The total estimate cost is USD 225,000

06.  Projects implemented  under Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nation.

I.                    Support to Improving Production and Commercialization of Priority Fruit Value Chains in Sri Lanka

II.                  Save and Grow Approach–Regional Strategies on Sustainable and Climate Resilient  intensification of Cropping system) (2017-2020)

III.               Declaration of Palugaswewa Cascade tank–village System as a Globally important Agricultural Heritage

07.  Projects implemented under SAARC Development Fund.(SDF)

Livelihood enhancement of the small farmers in SAARC region through small scale Agro-business Focusing on value Chain.

Objective : Main objective of this project is to increase income of small farmers whereby increasing their standard of living, creation of employment opportunities empowerment of women, strengthening of value chain in the main stream.

Implementing Agency /Responsibility: Department of Agriculture/Project Devision

Thrust Area: Agriculture Production  enhancement/Marketing.

Upon a decision taken at SAARC meeting that agriculture is a main supportive sector of rural development and rural employment generation Accordingly, opportunity was available to launch in Sri Lanka in 2018 project of enhancing the living standard of small scale farmers through value chain development as a multilateral project of SAARC countries under SAARC  fund . This is a 02 year project to be implemented under provisions of Rs. 20.888 Mn for 2019 and Rs. 8.241 Mn for 2020. Government of Sri Lanka contribution is  Rs. 2.139 Mn. for 2019 and Rs. 2.139 Mn. for 2020

B). Memorandom of Understanding signed with  foreign Countries/ international organizations from 2015 upto date.

01. Memorandum of Understanding between Ministry of Agriculture of Sri Lanka and General Administration on Quality supervision, Investigation and Quarantine  on Plant Phytosanitory  Requirements in exporting banana to China.

02. Memorandum of understanding for Co-operation on Agriculture and Related Fields between Ministry of Agriculture of Sri Lanka and Egyption Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reforms.

03.Memorandom of understanding for the establishment hi-tec agri training centre in Walpita farm of the Development of Agriculture to obtain modern agricultural technology in Japan to Sri Lanka

04.  Memorandum of Understanding on human resources development  of National Agriculture Research system between Council for Agriculture Research Policy (CARP) of Sri Lanka and Agriculture Research Development  Institution of Malaysia.

05.  Memorandum of Understanding on Agricultural Co-operation between Ministry of Agriculture of Sri Lanka and Ministry of Agriculture  of Bangladesh

06.  Agreement between the country office of the International Rice Research and Development Institution Sri Lanka and the International Rice Research Institution Philiphine.

07. Memorandum of Understanding between Sri Lanka Council for Agricultural Research Policy Sri Lanka (CARP), Ministry of Agriculture Research Economics Affairs Livestock Development Irrigation and Fisheries and Aquatic Research Development and Los Banos University, Philippines.

C)  Organizing and holding of International workshop/Seminars

1. Workshop on Consultancy meeting of regional experts on sustainable Agriculture development and Investment Promotion was held in Colombo on    23-25 October 2019 with the participation of representatives from all SAARC countries (08)

2. High ranking officials of 15 member countries of Centre of Integrated Rural Development in Asia Pacific Region (CIRDAP) participated at the Executive Committee Meeting while Ministers in charge of the subject of Agriculture or their representatives. Participated at the Governing Council . These two meetings were held on 08-11 October 2019 

D) Obtaining assistance for agriculture projects in Sri Lanka and taking action of annual contributions for coordination with the relevant institutions/Organizations