The World Bank reviews the modernization of Agrarian Service Centers

The World Bank Team headed by Mr. John. C. Keyser, Task Team Leader (TTL) of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) discussed the current modernization process of 47 Agrarian Service Centers located in eleven districts where the CSIAP is being implemented. The main objective of the modernization of Agrarian Service Centers (ASCs) is to convert the Community Centre into a One-Stop Service Centre that caters for the real needs of the farming community in the area. This is considered as one of the biggest sub-projects, which comes under the CSIAP. It has many components and therefore this project will involve implementing major interventions with a view to developing the ASC as a One-Stop Service Centre, which provides modern services to the farmers to become resilient to the changing climate situation and thereby overcome the issues that hinder their productivity.

The following main areas have been identified as priority basis for the modernization of ASCs in all six provinces. The major 03 interventions are;

• Renovating, expanding and refurbishing existing 47 office buildings of the ASCs within areas of the CSIAP to function as attractive and productive One-stop Service Centers
• Establishing a full pledged ICT unit within each of the 47 ASCs with trained officials and the necessary equipment to provide required data related to weather forecasts, markets, and new technology for farmers under the digitalization of ASCs.
• Establishing a Farm Machinery Hub (FMU) in each of the 47 ASCs managed by the Agrarian Development Committee (ADC) of the ASC to prevent the exploitation of farmers from the middlemen and also to provide an opportunity for the ADC to develop the Agrarian Fund.

The review meeting held this morning (19th) at the Department of Agrarian Development (DAD) was chaired by Mr. A. H. M. L. Abeyrathne, Commissioner General of Agrarian Development. Mr. Vijayakumar Rajaratnam, Commissioner (Development), DAD pointed out the modernization process of 47 ASCs. Mr.  Sheu Salau, CO- TTL of the CSIAP & Mission Leader of the World Bank also commented on the ASC modernization process.

Consultant Mr. S. Manoharan, Dr. Athula Senarathne, Senior Agriculture Specialist of the World Bank, Mr. D.V. Bandulasena, Institutional Development & Capacity Building Specialist, Mr. Samantha Mallawaarachchi, IEC & ICT Specialist and Mr. Christy Perera, Agri-Business & Market Linkage Development specialist of the CSIAP were also present in this meeting.  Please click Images to see more photos of the event.