Building Climate Resilience in Paddy Cultivation of Sri Lanka: Farmer Adherence to Weather Information in Rainfed and Minor Irrigated Areas

Background Climate variability plays a major role in shaping agricultural productivity, rural livelihoods and economic outcomes at local, regional and national levels. Farmers regularly confront the challenge of making management decisions under uncertain conditions. In Sri Lanka, agriculture is particularly vulnerable to climate shocks and shifting weather patterns, often experiencing more severe impacts than many other nations. Farmers face the …

Continue Reading

Organic Fertilizer Use in Paddy Cultivation: Insights into Farmers’ Practices and Preferences

Background Rice is the staple food of the Sri Lankan population and remains the country’s most important agricultural crop, occupying the largest share of the total cultivated land. For decades, conventional paddy farming systems in Sri Lanka have depended heavily on chemical fertilizers to achieve higher yields and meet growing food demand. Although this approach has contributed to increased production, …

Continue Reading

Challenges and Potentials for the Advancement of Digital Agricultural Extension Services in the Domestic Food Crop Sector: Evidence from Kurunegala District

Background At present, agricultural extension services in the domestic food crop sector face numerous challenges that hinder the realization of their intended benefits. Consequently, digital agricultural extension services have emerged in recent years as an innovation that can transform extension into a more efficient and effective service, capable of addressing farmers’ needs with lower operational costs to the government. A …

Continue Reading

Food Consumption Patterns of Urban Adolescents in Sri Lanka: Motives, Barriers and Implications for Healthy Eating Habits

Background Adolescence is a critical stage of life marked by rapid physical, psychological, and emotional development, during which adequate nutrition plays a vital role. In both developed and developing countries, adolescents’ dietary patterns have increasingly shifted away from traditional foods toward a higher consumption of processed foods that are rich in sugar, fat, and salt. Evidence shows that these dietary …

Continue Reading

HARTI Policy Brief 2025 : Evaluating the Impact of Entrepreneurship Development Programs on the Progression of Agro-Based Startups in Sri Lanka

Background Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector, employing nearly one-fourth of the labour force, remains central to rural livelihoods yet continues to struggle with persistent structural constraints such as low productivity, limited value addition, weak market integration, and high vulnerability to climatic and economic shocks. Over the past two decades, the government of Sri Lanka has increasingly promoted entrepreneurship development as a …

Continue Reading

HARTI Policy Brief 2025: Agritourism as a Sustainable Livelihood Development Practice in Sri Lanka

Background Sri Lanka remains a predominantly agrarian nation, with many rural households relying on agriculture as their main source of income. However, the sector continues to face long-standing socio-economic challenges, including low and unstable earnings, seasonal underemployment, indebtedness, and limited opportunities for livelihood diversification. These constraints have increased the need for alternative income sources that can strengthen the economic resilience …

Continue Reading

HARTI Policy Brief 2025: Dedicated Economic Centers in Sri Lanka: Functionality and Sustainability

Background Dedicated Economic Canters (DECs) were established in Sri Lanka as part of a national initiative to enhance the agricultural marketing infrastructure. Their primary objectives were to ensure fair prices for producers, affordable food for consumers, and reduced transaction costs along the supply chain. Launched in 1999, these centers were designed to serve both producing and consuming regions through centralized, …

Continue Reading

New Auditor General Ms. Samudika Jayarathna Takes Oath of Secrecy Before the Speaker

The newly appointed Auditor General, Ms. Samudika Jayarathna, took the oath of secrecy before the Speaker, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, in Parliament today (Feb. 05). In accordance with Section 9 of the National Audit Act, No. 19 of 2018, she took the oath of secrecy in her capacity as the Auditor General of the National Audit Office and Chairperson of the …

Continue Reading

L.S.I. Jayarathna Appointed as the New Auditor General

Ms L.S.I. Jayarathna, who has been appointed as the country’s 42nd Auditor General, was formally presented with her letter of appointment by Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (05). Ms Jayarathna, who previously served as the most senior female Deputy Auditor General at the National Audit Office, received the unanimous approval of …

Continue Reading

Gov Pay Introduced for Traffic Fine Payments in Kandy, Matale, Gampola, and Theldeniya Divisions

The Ministry of Digital Economy, in collaboration with the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) and LankaPay, has jointly introduced the Gov Pay online payment system to facilitate the settlement of traffic fines in the Central Province. Awareness programmes were conducted to familiarize police officers with the technical procedures involved in using the Gov Pay system. Accordingly, a programme was …

Continue Reading

Newsletter

Register now to get latest updates on promotions & coupons.

Social