Tuesday Nov 04, 2025
Tuesday Nov 04, 2025
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The first Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on agriculture between India and Sri Lanka was held on 30 October in New Delhi.
It was co-chaired by Government of India Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Secretary Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi and Government of Sri Lanka Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Secretary D.P. Wickramasinghe.
The Sri Lankan delegation comprised Department of Agriculture Additional Director General of Agriculture (Development) G.V. Shyamali, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Director (Livestock Development) B.S.S. Perera, and a representative from the High Commission of Sri Lanka.
On the Indian side, the meeting was also attended by senior officials from the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DAFW), Chairman, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA), Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Both sides discussed collaboration in key areas including farm mechanisation, organic and natural farming, seed sector development, agri-entrepreneurship, agricultural education, soil health management, market access, and climate-resilient agriculture. Opportunities for joint research, and capacity building were also explored.
The meeting also covered initiatives such as digital agriculture, crop insurance, and agri-startups. The Sri Lankan delegation visited the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Pusa, New Delhi, to gain insights into India’s agricultural research and innovation ecosystem.
The discussions reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and Sri Lanka to deepen cooperation in agriculture and to work together towards strengthening food and nutritional security in both countries.
