Recruitment of the CSIAP’s Staff 2023

The Progress Review Meeting of the CSIAP commenced at the MoA

The Progress Review Meeting of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) chaired by Mr. Gunadasa Samarasinghe, the Secretary was held at the Ministry of Agriculture this morning (17th). The Provincial Progress Reports presented via video conferencing by six Provincial Deputy Project Directors of the CSIAP were reviewed by  Mrs. Lathisha P. Liyanage, Additional Secretary (Development) and Mrs. M. M. Renuka Rathnayaka, Director (Development) of the Ministry. Eng. R.M.B. Rajakaruna, Project Director, CSIAP, led the team of Subject Specialists of the CSIAP at this meeting. Please click Images to see more photos of the meeting.

Residential Training on Manioc-Based Value Addition Held in Northern Province

A three-day residential training programme on manioc-based value addition was recently organized for officers and farmers of the Northern Province at the Cathy Rich Food Processing Center in Embilipitiya. The event was conducted by the Deputy Project Director’s Office (NP) of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP). The programme aimed to enhance food security, nutrition, and income generation by promoting value-added foods—crops or products improved through processing, fortification, better packaging, and extended storage.

Benefits of Value-Added Foods
Value-added foods provide multiple benefits, including improved nutrition, greater income for producers, access to new markets, reduced waste, and enhanced food safety. By introducing manioc-based products, the training emphasized cost-effective alternatives to wheat-based foods, offering higher nutritive value and greater versatility in preparation.

Participants and Focus Areas
Representing the Northern Province, 4 Agriculture Instructors, 3 Agriculture Facilitators, and 16 small entrepreneurs—including 10 female participants—attended the programme. Most entrepreneurs specialized in cassava chip production and bakery manufacturing. The training focused on diversifying manioc-based products such as sago, biscuits, and cakes, rather than replacing wheat flour, which has become scarce due to recent economic challenges in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts.

Hands-On Training and Practical Skills
Participants received hands-on training in the preparation of manioc flour, manioc starch, manioc cake, manioc sago, and manioc biscuits. Group activities included designing labels, selecting suitable packaging materials, and troubleshooting technical challenges in packaging and processing. The programme also covered identification of raw materials and processing equipment, as well as guidance on sourcing packaging materials and operating equipment effectively.

Impact and Future Prospects
By equipping farmers and small entrepreneurs with practical skills and knowledge on manioc-based value addition, CSIAP aims to strengthen local food production, improve nutrition, and enhance income opportunities. The training reflects the project’s commitment to promoting sustainable, climate-smart agricultural practices and supporting rural livelihoods in the Northern Province.

Story by R. Sanjeepan (Institutional Development & Capacity Building Specialist), NP, CSIAP 

The CSIAP launches the first-ever drone spraying service in the project area

The Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) launches its first-ever Drone spraying services for farmers and officers in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts recently. This Drone services will help farmers gain better and uniform spraying across their crops and address the farm labour shortage. The advanced technology of drone spraying will save farmers' time and ensure their safety from higher exposure to liquid pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides.

This unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) could help agriculture operations by monitoring crop growth and increasing crop output too. This UAV is capable of spraying crops with fertilizers or pesticides. Unlike a traditional Knapsack sprayer, drones can spray crops more precisely. It can be used to spray an even amount of liquid in all necessary sections, so there’s no risk of overdosing crops. Drone spraying service will be introduced to the other areas where the CSIAP is being implemented.

 The demonstration of the drone spray service was conducted in the presence of farmers and officers by Eng. K. Arulvaratharjaah, Nilaveli Lagoon (Pvt) Ltd at Government Seed Production Farm, Paranthan, Kilinochchi recently. This high-efficiency drone is capable of operating twenty-five times faster than a traditional knapsack sprayer. Agrochemical was sprayed in 2 hectares of paddy field within 30 minutes efficiently in front of the participants by this drone. Before the demonstration, a group discussion was conducted regarding the drone technology, use of organic pesticides and fertilizers in drone sprayer, advantages, disadvantages and limitations, of drone sprayer delays in getting security approvals and economic analysis of drone application.  Around 122 personnel including 31 females participated in this event.

Mr. George Babu, Deputy Project Director (NP), Subject Specialists and officers of the CSIAP organized and coordinated the demonstration. Officials of Field Crops Research Development Centre (Kilinochchi), Animal Production & Health (Kilinochchi), Seed & Planting Material Development Centre (Kilinochchi), Provincial Department of Agriculture (Kilinochchi), Provincial Department of Agriculture (Mullaitivu),  Government Departments, NGOs, private sector, Representatives of private companies, Seed producers, leaders of Farmer Organizations, members of Producer Societies and farmers were present in this demonstration programme.

Story by R. Sanjeepan (Institutional Development & Capacity Building Specialist), NP, CSIAP

The CSIAP conducts the third GIS-based MIS Training for its staff in NWP and NCP

The Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) conducts the third two-day residential training programme on the GIS-based Management Information System (MIS) for its staff in North Western and North Central Provinces today (12th) at the Creston Park Hotel in Anuradhapura. Mr. S.M. Seelarathna, Deputy Project Director (Northern Central Province), CSIAP welcomed all the participants and pointed out the importance of using MIS for the CSIAP.  Eng. R.M.B. Rajakaruna, Project Director, CSIAP addressed participants and highlighted that  MIS, which stores and organizes data, enables CSIAP Staff to generate reports and analyze data to address CSIAP’s needs and present information while having top-level meetings including the World Bank.  

The MIS, which is a software system that focuses on the management of information technology to provide efficient and effective strategic decision-making, helps the CSIAP to coordinate, visualize, analyze information and make decisions through its activities. The above MIS is a combination of its multiple sub-components to provide the relevant information to take out useful information. An integrated system, which blends information from selected operational areas, is a necessary characteristic of MIS.

Celata Tech (Pvt) Ltd invented the GI-based MIS for the CSIAP.  Mr. Dinesh Denipitiya, Senior Business Manager (Operations), Chamath Ekanayake, Tech Lead, Mr. Pavithra Prabodya, Senior Software Engineer and Pramodya Amarajeewa, Software Engineer of Celata Tech (Pvt) Ltd explained the new system and provided the CSIAP staff with hands-on experience.  Mr. W.M.S. Wijesinghe, Deputy Project Director (North Western Province), Subject Specialists of the Project Management Unit of the CSIAP also participated. The Deputy Project Director (North Western Province) of the  CSIAP organized this training programme and Mr. Nalaka Attanayake, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist of the CSIAP coordinated it.

The CSIAP continues another GIS-based MIS Training for its staff in NP and EP

The Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) continued the second two-day residential training programme on the GIS-based Management Information System (MIS) for its staff of in Northern and Eastern Provinces today (10th) at the auditorium of the Department of Agrarian Development Kilinochchi. Mr. George Babu, Deputy Project Director (Northern Province), CSIAP welcomed all the participants. The MIS is a computerized database that helps the CSIAP to make decisions, coordinate, visualize and analyze information through its activities. Celata Tech (Pvt) Ltd invented the GI-based MIS for the CSIAP.  Mr. Dinesh Denipitiya, Senior Business Manager (Operations), Chamath Ekanayake, Tech Lead, Mr. Pavithra Prabodya, Senior Software Engineer and Pramodya Amarajeewa, Software Engineerof Celata Tech (Pvt) Ltd explained the new system and provided the CSIAP staff with hands-on experience. Ms. Sharmila Shanmuganathan, Gender Development Officer of the CSIAP contributed by interpreting Sinhalese and English lectures into Tamil.   

The same programme will be continued for the CSIAP staff in North Western and North Central Provinces. Dr. R. M. Ariyadasa, Deputy Project Director (Eastern Province), Subject Specialists of the Project Management Unit of the CSIAP also participated. The Deputy Project Director (Northern Province) of the  CSIAP organized this training programme and Mr. Nalaka Attanayake, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist of the CSIAP coordinated it.

The CSIAP begins the first working day of 2023

 The first working day of the New Year- 2023 was inaugurated in the Project Management Unit (PMU) of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) on Monday (02^nd) under the patronage of Eng. R.M.B. Rajakaruna, Project Director , CSIAP. Firstly, Eng. Rajakaruna lit the traditional oil lamp and subsequently, Institutional Development and Capacity Building Specialist Mr. D.V. Bandulasena, Financial Management Specialist Mr. W. G. N. Abeywickrama, Members of supporting staff Miss. Gayani Dassanayake and Mr. D.G.S. Liyanage also lit the traditional oil lamp.

Addressed the gathering,  the Project Director of the CSIAP at the outset expressed his best wishes for a happy New Year 2023 to the CSIAP Staff and their family members. He also expressed his gratitude to the staff of PMU and Provincial Deputy Directors’ Offices for carrying out their duties to the best of their ability to achieve the objectives of the project.  Eng. Rajakaruna further mentioned that the CSIAP is expecting to speed up its activities in 2023 in the project areas. Adding more, he highlighted remarkable success can be achieved by working as a team. Traditional food items were served to the staff and Subject Specialists and Officers attended this event. 

Photographs by Gayani Dassanayake, PMU-CSIAP