SAARC launches three-day regional workshop in Colombo for specialists
AgriTech Bridges Market for Women Entrepreneurs
- Regional initiative integrates women into advanced agri-livestock engineering and organized digital markets
- Forty-five technical experts and policymakers convene in Colombo across South Asia
- Strategic framework planned to bridge technical skill, financing, and supply chain gaps
A three-day regional workshop organized by the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) commenced in Colombo to transform women-led agriculture and livestock initiatives into sustainable, technology-driven enterprises and establish structured market linkages. The program began on Monday, 24 August 2026, and will run through 26 August.
Titled 'Empowerment of Women through Agri-Livestock Entrepreneurship Development and Market Linkages in South Asia', the event is jointly organized by the SAARC Agriculture Centre, Sri Lanka's Department of Animal Production and Health, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (Bangladesh), and Sustainable Agriculture Foundation (Bangladesh). Approximately 45 policymakers, government officials, and technical experts from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka are participating alongside representatives from CABI, Climate Action Network South Asia, Welthungerhilfe, VSO, WAVE Foundation, and Heifer International.
D. P. Wickremasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation of Sri Lanka, addressed the inauguration as the chief guest. Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture Dr. S. Piyadasa chaired the session, while Director General of the Department of Animal Production and Health Dr. B. S. S. Perera delivered the welcome address.
Dr. Md. Younus Ali, Senior Program Specialist (Livestock) at the SAARC Agriculture Centre, detailed the strategic objectives and expected technological outcomes of the event. Dr. G. C. S. Kurugala, Director of Human Resource Development at the Department of Animal Production and Health, presented the keynote paper on sustainable agri-livestock enterprise modeling and market integration.
The session was also addressed by Farhad Jamil, Executive Director of Sustainable Agriculture Foundation; Dr. Ashek Mahfuz, Portfolio Lead at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition; and Shahiya Ali Manik, Director at the SAARC Secretariat. Tanvir Ahmad Torfdar, Director (Agriculture & Rural Development and SDF) at the SAARC Secretariat, participated virtually.
Speakers underscored that while women form the backbone of South Asian agriculture and livestock, limited access to modern machinery, technical skills, financing, and organized supply networks limits their growth. The workshop focuses on elevating women into technology adopters, value chain leaders, and economic decision-makers by formulating regional policies for climate-resilient farming and enterprise development.
//DBTech/ABMP/SME//
