Sri Lanka Agripreneurs’ Forum fertiliser issue webinar on 2 Sept.
Source:FT
Sri Lanka Agripreneurs’ Forum will hold a webinar titled ‘Insights on new regulations on organic and inorganic agri-inputs: How to face the real-world challenges as an Agripreneur’ on 2 September at 5 p.m. on Microsoft Teams platform.
Sri Lanka Agripreneurs’ Forum (SLAF) is the premier agribusiness association in Sri Lankan representing growers, farmer organisations, agri value-addition enterprises, agri professionals and academics, agri scientists, local and global marketers of agri produce, providers of agri inputs, and local agri investors, and serves as the pivotal body for all of the agribusiness communities in Sri Lanka.
It said the agriculture sector employs over three million people, both directly and indirectly, throughout Sri Lanka who are highly vulnerable to economic shocks. As such, the SLAF has continuously engaged with all key stakeholders including the highest echelons of government to push for the speedy transformation of the agribusiness sector.
It strongly believes the coming together of a well-diversified agribusiness association, representing all levels of the stakeholders in the private sector, to collaboratively work and support the Government to uplift the agribusiness sector in Sri Lanka will certainly bring an immense change within a short span of time. This would lead to a speedy transformation of the agriculture sector in Sri Lanka for the betterment of all stakeholders.
In the light of new regulations and the national policy-level decisions enacted and implemented in relation to the inorganic fertilisers and agro-chemicals by the State authorities, the fundamentals of the conventional agro-dynamic practices are being challenged and many stakeholders forecast opportunities and challenges ahead.
For us to understand why this particular national policy level change has been quite speak-worthy, it is because almost 30% of the primary workforce of Sri Lanka is involved in the agribusiness sector. Currently, among the agribusiness stakeholders, different schools of thought emerge with opposing sentiments and reflections around restricting the importation of inorganic fertilisers and agro-chemicals. Agripreneurs of today’s Sri Lanka are most certainly impacted positively or negatively by the current situation primarily as growers and suppliers of agricultural produce that is domestically consumed and exported.
SLAF has come together to realise the timely importance of creating an open yet well-guided constructive dialogue, including challenges and opportunities that associates with the agricultural sector are presented with currently.
To share more insights on the new regulations, operational procedures, licensing mechanisms, inorganic-to-organic transition possibilities, and learnings from other markets and to discuss the situational synopsis, a panel of prominent agribusiness leaders have come together.
The speakers will comprise CropLife – Sri Lanka Chairman Ranjith Bandara; Ministry of Agriculture Ex-Additional Secretary Amal Arunapriya; and Export Development Board Chairman Suresh De Mel. The panellists will be Lanka Fruit and Vegetable Producers Processors and Exporters Association Chairman Suresh Ellawala; SLAF Executive Committee Member Jayantha Rajapaksha. The session will be moderated by SLAF Executive Committee Member Nirmal Hettiarachchi.
All interested participants are kindly requested to e-mail their full name and contact number to slagriforum@gmail.com to register for the webinar.
