Sri Lanka reviews progress on digital integration in agriculture sector

A progress review meeting on the implementation of interoperability among digital systems in Sri Lanka’s agriculture sector was held yesterday (December 16) at the Govijana Mandiraya, according to a statement by Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, K.D. Lal Kantha.

The interoperability project, launched in 2023, brings together the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation; the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure; and the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources. The initiative aims to improve data exchange, ensure the accuracy of shared information, and promote collaboration among all institutions involved.

Minister Kantha highlighted that the agriculture sector is vital for national food security, farmer livelihoods, and the country’s economic stability. He noted that current challenges include fragmented data, lack of system integration, and limited access to reliable, up-to-date information for decision-making.

“Technology alone is not enough. Policy changes, cultural shifts, and inter-institutional collaboration are also essential to address these challenges,” Minister Kantha said.

To tackle these issues, the government has developed an Enterprise Architecture and an Interoperability Framework for the agriculture sector. Implemented nationally with technical support from the United Nations, this framework enables secure, standardized, and reliable data exchange among all digital systems, without additional costs to the government.

At present, departments have begun developing data-sharing policies, identifying key registries, and designing application programming interfaces (APIs). However, Minister Kantha stressed that the project is not purely technical but a national program that requires the leadership and accountability of heads of institutions.

The meeting focused on reviewing progress, discussing obstacles, and agreeing on actionable solutions. Minister Kantha urged all institutions to treat data as a national asset and share it responsibly within a legal framework to ensure timely and accurate services for farmers.

He also expressed gratitude to the United Nations for their continuous support and acknowledged the efforts of the Secretary, officials, and all institutions involved in implementing the program. “I believe that today’s discussions will guide practical decisions and actionable measures,” he said.