The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, together with the Department of Agriculture and with technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, has launched the CROPIX Seed Production, Certification & Traceability System, marking a major step in the digital transformation of Sri Lanka’s seed sector.
The system is part of the broader Crop Resources, Optimizing operations through Precise Information eXchange (CROPIX) digital agriculture platform and is designed to improve transparency, efficiency, traceability, and coordination across the entire seed value chain. It supports Sri Lanka’s broader goal of building a more resilient, efficient, and farmer-focused agricultural system.
Quality seeds play a vital role in improving agricultural productivity, strengthening food security, and enhancing farmer livelihoods. However, the sector has faced long-standing challenges such as delays in certification processes, fragmented information systems, limited access to certified seeds, and weak traceability across distribution networks.
The CROPIX Seed System addresses these issues through an integrated digital platform that connects seed growers, handlers, laboratories, field officers, and administrators within a single ecosystem. It enables real-time monitoring of seed production and certification activities, improves access to reliable data, and streamlines workflows from registration and testing to certification and distribution.
The platform features centralized data management, role-based access, web-based workflows, and interoperability through APIs that allow integration with other agricultural systems. Its traceability functions enable tracking of seed lots across all stages of production and certification, while dashboards and real-time reporting support evidence-based decision-making. The system also lays the foundation for future enhancements such as analytics tools, mobile field applications, and integration with wider digital public infrastructure initiatives.
It further strengthens coordination between the Seed Certification Service (SCS) and the Seed and Planting Material Development Centre (SPMDC), while aligning with Sri Lanka’s Digital Economy Blueprint led by the Ministry of Digital Economy.
At the launch, Minister K. D. Lalkantha said the modernization of the seed sector is essential for ensuring food security, improving productivity, and strengthening farmer livelihoods. He noted that the CROPIX system represents an important milestone toward building a more efficient and technology-driven agriculture sector.
FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Vimlendra Sharan added that digital innovation plays a critical role in transforming agrifood systems, highlighting FAO’s support for Sri Lanka in advancing digital agriculture solutions that improve seed systems, transparency, and timely access to quality seeds.
The system is expected to benefit farmers by improving access to certified seeds and real-time information, while also enabling better data-driven decision-making by both public and private sector stakeholders, strengthening accountability across the entire seed production and certification process.
Ceylon Chamber of Commerce to Host Sri Lanka Climate Summit 2026
As global climate regulations continue to tighten and investor expectations shift from voluntary commitments to mandatory compliance, climate action is increasingly becoming a key driver of trade competitiveness and access to finance.
Against this backdrop, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce will host the second edition of the Sri Lanka Climate Summit on 9 June 2026 at the Taj Samudra Hotel, bringing together policymakers, business leaders, financiers, and technical experts to explore pathways for integrating climate action into Sri Lanka’s economic growth agenda.
Held as a biennial platform, the summit returns under the theme “From Risk to Opportunity: Mainstreaming Climate Action into Sri Lanka’s Growth Story.” While the inaugural 2024 edition focused on awareness and advocacy, the 2026 summit will shift attention toward implementation, technical readiness, and regulatory compliance, as climate-related requirements increasingly shape market access, investment flows, and financing decisions.
The discussions will emphasize how sustainability is now embedded across key areas of economic decision-making, including infrastructure, trade, finance, governance, digitalisation, agriculture, and supply chains, rather than being treated as a separate agenda.
The summit will open with a high-level plenary session titled “Is Sri Lanka Climate Ready for Investment?” featuring Minister of Environment Dammika Patabendi, Asian Development Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka Shannon Cowlin, FAO Country Representative for Sri Lanka and Maldives Vimlendra Sharan, and Chairman and CEO of Dilmah Tea Dilhan Fernando.
The programme will include technical and policy-focused sessions on disaster resilience, sectoral transition pathways, corporate climate governance, and unlocking climate finance for local projects and enterprises. Speakers will include representatives from multilateral institutions, government bodies, financial institutions, export industries, sustainability leaders, and international climate experts.
The event will also highlight the growing importance of climate disclosure, ESG-linked financing, resilient infrastructure, and private sector adaptation strategies as businesses respond to evolving global regulatory and investor expectations.
Sri Lanka Introduces Digital Seed Production, Certification and Traceability System to Improve Seed Quality and Availability
