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Sri Lanka has formally launched a unified digital decision support platform aimed at transforming how the plantation sector is monitored, managed and planned, marking one of the most significant steps yet toward data-driven governance in agriculture-related industries.
The Plantation Sector Decision Support System (DSS), developed under the Integrated Digital Agriculture Transformation (IDAT) program was handed over to the Plantations and Community Infrastructure Ministry last week as a State-owned digital public asset.
The system consolidates data from seven major plantation-sector institutions, including the Sri Lanka Tea Board, Tea Small Holdings Development Authority, Rubber Development Department, Coconut Research and Development bodies and the Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation.
The project was developed under the IDAT program with support from the Digital Economy Ministry with technical contributions from global institutions including the World Bank. The Gates Foundation provided the essential support and assistance for this digital initiative. The MIT ESP Institute and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations served as general partners, offering technical expertise and support. Key partners include Connect to Care Global Chairman Chanditha Samaranayake and his team along with the Sarvodaya Institute.
The system is expected to serve as a foundation for future expansion into predictive analytics and climate-risk modelling for agriculture-based sectors.
This platform replaces fragmented reporting systems that previously operated independently across institutions, allowing policymakers to track tea, rubber, coconut and cashew sectors through a single interface with real-time analytics, subsidy tracking, weather impact assessment and production monitoring tools.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Vidyarathna said the sector has long relied on paper-based and institutionally siloed data systems that slowed decision-making and weakened policy responsiveness.
“Digitalisation has become a major priority sector in the country. This system will be of great help in collecting information accurately and improving efficiency across plantation exports and production,” he said, adding that the shift marks a move toward a “data-based Government” capable of more precise and timely interventions.
The Minister said the platform would strengthen farmer services, improve monitoring of Government programs and support long-term sustainability in plantation crop management, while also reinforcing Sri Lanka’s broader digital public infrastructure agenda.
Plantations and Community Infrastructure Deputy Minister Sundaralingam Pradeep, Plantations and Community Infrastructure Ministry Secretary Gunadasa Samarasinghe, Presidential Adviser on Digital Economy Dr. Hans Wijeyasuriya, Digital Economic Ministry Secretary Waruna Sri Dhanapala, Senior Members of the World Bank’s Digital Agriculture Team Santoshkumar Vasudevan and Sunil Madan, Connect to Care Global Chairman Chanditha Samaranayake and international technical partners also attended the launch.
