Sri Lankan corporates starting agricultural cycle
In the wake of food insecurity in the country, private sector firms have resolved to sustain their own produce amply demonstrating the resilience of Sri Lankan firms.
Leading apparel manufacturer, Hirdaramani Group started ‘Hirdaramani Waga Sangramaya’ through which they have set up vegetable gardens in factories and incentivise employees to do the same in their homes.Inthaaj Careem, General Manager - Human Resources,
Administration and Compliance at Hirdaramani Industries, explaining to the Business Times, said this project was initiated at the onset of COVID-19 in mid-2019. “We started this at a time when it was difficult to find our own produce.” With the economic crisis last year, the company had done it with more vigour in 11 work locations representing 12,500 direct employees with Hirdaramani starting a model home garden in each site.
With learnings from the Fruit and Agri Crop Research Institute at Kananwila, Horana on home gardening, the company staff had obtained input to start their own projects. “We had a demonstration in that location for our staff to witness model home gardening. Thereafter, we started a competition to select the best home gardening project of the staff members. We stipulated that 10 per cent of the total work population has to have home gardening, but it was 15 per cent by the end of the project. The staff exceeded expectations,” Mr. Careem said.
The company started two more such projects called H I Mega Waga Sangramaya targeting large lands in the company amounting to 10 acres in total, along with H I Praja Waga
Sangramaya which is aimed at communities in the areas. The produce from this project was sold at half the price of that of the economic centres, Mr. Careem said. Joel Selvanayagam, Chairman Hovael Construction Pvt Ltd said the company has started a pilot poultry and agriculture project about six months ago. “We are developing it.”
Thamari Senanayaka, Director, Public Affairs, Communication and Sustainability at Coca-Cola Private Limited, said the company is encouraging its staff to engage in sustainabilityrelated activities based on waste management and water.