SLT and Epic launch online platform for farmers: ‘Helaviru Digital Economic Centre’

Sri Lanka Telecom, the national ICT service provider and Epic Technology Group, one of the leading digital technology solution providers in the region, have launched the Helaviru Digital Economic Centre Online Platform for the first time in South Asia.

Helaviru Agro-produce and Commodities Trading Platform is a Cloud-based digital marketplace that facilitates trading activities (buying and selling) of agriculture and farm produce and commodities among diverse stakeholders on a seamlessly connected supply chain. 

The Helaviru Platform will create an ecosystem of digitally connected agro-producers (farmers and growers), small scale collectors, wholesalers, retailers, large consumers (super markets, food processing industries, hotels, etc.) and agro-produce exporters, and provide an easy and secure channel to carry out their trading activities. 

In addition, diverse service providers such as transport and delivery service providers, fertiliser suppliers, plants and seeds suppliers, auxiliary products and services suppliers, agro-insurance providers, banks and government institutes too will be connected to facilitate the main stakeholders and their commercial transactions on the platform, thus will revolutionise the agriculture sector in Sri Lanka. 

SLT as a partner will join Epic to operationalise the Helaviru Digital Economic Centre, while facilitating to host the platform in its state of the art SLT iDC ensuring reliability and security backed by professional support. Also, users can experience SMS and e-mail facilities along with IVR facilities and call centre support. Through this project, SLT will actively endeavour to realise the national objectives of the Government of Sri Lanka in uplifting the livelihood of the agriculture sector stakeholders in Sri Lanka. 

The users can apply for financial support from People’s Bank and Bank of Ceylon, who are also the strategic partners of the platform. Over the years, Helaviru will also create a central database of agriculture sector stakeholders’ behavioural statistics, commercial activities and transactions, which could be used for predictive analysis, trend forecasting and critical decision making in the agriculture sector. 

Commenting at the launch, SLT Group Chairman Rohan Fernando said: “As the national ICT service provider, we take pride in partnering with such national initiatives. Helaviru Digital economic centre will be a great impact on the farming and agricultural sector, which is one of the leading trading platforms in our country. We are also keen to be part of reviving this sector that has been part of our civilisation for centuries. Taking digital technology to the farmers is one step towards enhancing them to the next level. Bank of Ceylon will be the payment gateway, providing secure transaction. And we are thankful to Epic Lanka, who is providing the digital solution for Helaviru Digital economic centre.

“Epic is proud to have conceptualised the Helaviru Digital Economic Centre Platform, and also delighted to have a partner like SLT, who is no doubt the national leader in telecommunications, to operationalise the project. We are certain that with SLT’s partnership, Helaviru will revolutionise the agriculture sector in Sri Lanka. Our endeavour is not only to provide an online trading platform for agriculture sector stakeholders but also to reduce the cost of agro-products to the end consumer, while increasing revenue to the agro-producer and aggregator. Helaviru will not eliminate the middleman in the supply chain but will empower all stakeholders including the middleman so that every stakeholder will be benefitted substantially, while preventing unwarranted manipulations and obstacles and unnecessary costs due to waste,” said Epic Technology Group Executive Chairman Dr. Nayana Dehigama.

Helaviru Digital economic centre, as true to its name will be a means of developing the heroes of the land, the farmers by providing added exposure and a wide platform to support their farming requirements.