Status of research-extension linkages in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka was another country represented in presentations on ‘Status of Research-Extension Linkages’ during the Expert Consultation. Dr. R. R. A. Wijekoon, Director General of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, Sri Lanka, stated that “agriculture contributes 11.1 per cent to Sri Lanka’s GDP with an estimated growth rate of 5.8 per cent”. The main agricultural produce include rice, vegetables, fruits and spices. The research-extension sector uses training, crop clinics and print media as the main tools to strengthen research-extension linkages.

The most remarkable research-extension achievement is the initiative of fixed and mobile crop clinics. Public-private partnership controls research and extension with activities such as awareness building, events and covers different agricultural sectors - paddy, vegetables, fruits, crops and plantation crops.

Capacity-building programmers are needed, using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and research-dialogues are required to review ways of filling gaps between research and linkage. The Sri Lanka Department of Agriculture has suggested increased role for public-private partnerships, transferring ICT knowledge to farmers and increasing field research activities.

Prepared by Suraj Pandey, Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT), India