IPS Hosts Consultation Workshop to Identify Innovative Agricultural Technologies in South Asia

29 – 31 October 2018
Galadari Hotel, Colombo

IPS hosted the Regional Consultation Workshop for Formulation of Enabling Policy Recommendations and Project Concept for Popularization of Innovative Agricultural Technologies in South Asia from 29 – 31 October 2018 in Colombo. The workshop was organised by IPS, in collaboration with the SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), WINROCK International, and Access Agriculture.

The workshop aimed to identify innovative agricultural technologies for the South Asia region, based on expert inputs.  The participants also reviewed the policy initiatives and business models for popularizing such technologies in the region.  Most importantly, the three-day workshop came up with important insights for formulation of a proposal and an action plan for the establishment of a SAARC Innovation Platform.

Former Additional Director General Research at the Department of Agriculture, Sri Lanka, Amitha Benthota, was the chief guest of the event.  Dr. Benthota highlighted the need for sound infrastructural facilities for development of innovative technologies in South Asia.

Meanwhile, delivering the welcome speech at the inaugural session, IPS Research Economist, Kanchana Wickramasinghe, highlighted the need for adopting innovative agricultural technologies in facing the regional challenges such as food security, natural resource degradation and climate change.

The workshop was attended by key experts in the subject area from the SAARC countries and resource persons from the partner agencies.