Thursday May 14, 2026
Thursday May 14, 2026
Thursday, 14 May 2026 00:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Janathakshan CEO and Executive Director Dr. Janaka Hemathilaka (centre left) exchanging the MoU with EDB
Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) has entered into a strategic partnership with Janathakshan GTE Ltd., to strengthen biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management and climate-resilient livelihoods, while creating new export opportunities for rural producer communities.
The collaboration was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the EDB Head Office with EDB Chairman Mangala Wijesinghe and Janathakshan CEO and Executive Director Dr. Janaka Hemathilaka signing the agreement in the presence of senior officials.
The partnership falls under the GEF-07 project titled “Partnerships and Innovative Financing to Mainstream Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Management in the Wet Climatic Zone of Sri Lanka,” a joint initiative of the Environment Ministry and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The project is being implemented across six wet zone districts including Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Ratnapura, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya, with a focus on protecting biodiversity, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and improving rural incomes.
Under the agreement, both institutions will work together to connect project-supported producer groups with registered exporters, support participation in international trade fairs and EDB export promotion programmes, and guide producers on meeting export compliance standards.
The partnership will also pursue Geographical Indication (GI) certification for high-value Sri Lankan products including Kithul and Pepper, while developing cluster-level certification systems for producer societies to improve competitiveness in overseas markets.
Six key sectors have been identified under the initiative, including organic and artisanal tea, Kithul-based products, pepper and pepper oil, arecanut and Kolapath eco-friendly tableware, cardamom, and jackfruit-based products. The EDB said the initiative is expected to enhance export readiness among smallholder producers, strengthen agroforestry and tea value chains, and promote biodiversity-friendly production systems aimed at accessing premium international markets such as Japan, the European Union (EU) and the US.
