NEWSA multi-country project on "Food security under changing and variable climate"

  
  The Agriculture Education Unit has been invited to be a partner of a multi-country project on "Food security under changing and variable climate". The Project is conducted by the CISIRO, Australia and funded by AusAID, and will commence in late 2012. The Department of Agriculture, Meteorology Department and the NGO "Practical Action" will be the other partners from Sri Lanka. The planning and synthesis workshop for Sri lanka will be held from 4-7 December 2011.  
 

 
 

A training program on "Molecular Biology Techniques"

  
  The Agricultural Biotechnology Centre conducted a training program on "Molecular Biology Techniques" on the 9th September 2011 at the Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, University of Peradeniya for the students of the Dept. of Agricultural and Plantation Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Technology, Open University of Sri Lanka. Dr. R.P. Karunagoda coordinated the workshop and also served as the resource person. The objective of the program was to give hands on experience on molecular biology techniques to the undergraduates who participated in the program.  
 

 
 

A training program on "Plant Tissue Culture Techniques"

  
  The Agricultutal Biotechnology Centre conducted a training program on "Plant Tissue Culture Techniques" on 22nd August 2011 at the Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, University of peradeniya for the students of the Dept. of Agricultural and Plantation Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Technology, Open University of Sri lanka. The objectives of the program was to give hands on experine on Tissue Cultute Techniques to the undergraduates who participated in the program.  
 

 
 

New Director at PGIA

  
  Prof BCN Peiris has been appointed as the Director of the post graduate instutite of Agrculture (PGIA) for a three year period with effect from 21st October 2011  
 

 
 

New Appointments

  
 

Prof. BCN Peiris has been appointed as the Director/QAA Council on full time basis for a period of one year with effect from 1st July 2011

Prof BCN Peiris has been appointed to the Board of Directors - International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE) for a period of 2 years with effect from May 2011.

Prof. LHP Gunaratne has been appointed as the Director of the Agribusiness Centre, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya for a period of three years with effect from 10th September 2011.

 

  
 

 
 

Orientation programme for the new entries to the ATM, BFTS and ASF degree programs

 
  The orientation programme for the new entries to the degree programs ATM, BFTS and ASF (2010/2011 batch) was held at the Mahailuppallama (MI) sub campus on 3rd October 2011 from 8.30 am to 11.30 am. Students Advisory and Welfare Committeee has facilitated and organized this programme. Prof. SBS Abeyakoon (Vice Chancellor), Prof. K. Samarasinghe (Dean/Agriculture), members of the academic staff, officers of the otehr relevent institutes around MI participated in this event.  
 

 
 

Faculty Shramadana Campaign

The annual Faculty Shramadana campaign was successfully held with the participation of a large number Academic and Non-academic staff members and the students on 1st Saturday, October 2011.  The participants cleaned the Departments of Studies, the Administrative Complex and the surrounding areas. It also provided a good opportunity for the staff and the student to interact each other. Dr. J.A.S. De Silva of the Dept. of Agric. Extension coordinated the programme.

  
 

Dodangolla Experimental Station

The University has received the legal ownership of the land, which had been occupied by Dodangolla Experimental Station for more than four decades.  The Deed of the Dodangolla Farm signed by His Excellency, the President was handed over to the University by the Hon. Minister of Land & Land Development during a small function at the Ministry in Colombo on 25 August 2011.
 
 

Training of Trainers on Cultivation Under Poly Tunnels

The Agriculture Education Unit conducted seventeen (17) "Training of Trainers" Programmes on "Cultivation Under Poly Tunnels" in Kandy, Matale and Kurunegala (28th July), Hambantota and Galle (29th July), Kegalle (1st August), Kurunegala and Jaffna (2nd August), Kalutara, Colombo, Gampaha and Mannar (4th August), Kilinochchi (8th August), and Ratnapura (9th August) Districts. The training programmes were funded by the Re-awakening Project and the Gami Diriya Project of the Ministry of Economic Development. Professor W.A. P. Weerakkody, Dr. B.M. L.D.B. Suriyagoda and Dr. C.K. Benaragama served as resource persons.
 
 

16th International Conference on Biotechnology in Animal Reproduction

The 16th International Conference on Biotechnology in Animal Reproduction has been successfully completed on 4th & 5th August 2011 at Hotel Topaz & Tourmaline, Kandy with the participation of a large number of foreign and local participants. This year it was organized by the Department of Animal Science.  The Conference was coordinated by Dr. R.M.C. Deshapriya.

 

 
 

Workshop on Biosafety
The Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Faculty of Agriculture conducted a two-day residential workshop on "Biosafety: Risk Assessment and Management of Genetically Modified Organisms, Food, Feed and Processed Products" on 11th & 12th August 2011 at the Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, University of Peradeniya.  A total of 65 senior level government officials, academics and representatives from government and private institutions, NOGs and other interested parties involved in Biosafety and Risk Assessment and Management of Genetically Modified Organisms participated the workshop. The financial assistance was provided by the Ministry of Environment.    Dr. R.P.  Karunagoda coordinated the workshop.  Professors A.L.T. Perera, V.A. Sumanasinghe, D. K.N.G. Pushpakumara, G.L.L.P. Silva and Drs. R.P. Karunagoda, H.A.M. Wickramasinghe, R.P.N. P. Rajapakse served as resource persons.
 
 

Annual Get-together 2011 Department of Agricultural Extension

The Annual Get-together of the Department of Agricultural Extension was held on 6th August 2011, at the In-Service Training Institute, Gannoruwa. This year’s get-together was combined with the farewell of two members retiring from the Department.

Agricultural Extension majoring students, staff members and Extension  Alumni jointly organized this special event.

The staff from the Department of Agricultural Economics and Business Management also joined this occasion to bid farewell to two of the retiring non-Academic staff members Mr. Neil Perera and Mr. EG Wimalasena, who served
the then joint Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension.

Prof. T. Jogaratnam, Emeritus Professor who was the first head of the Department graced the event as the Chief Guest, while the Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. K. Samarasinghe and the Heads of Departments participated
in the event as guests of honour.