INVOLVED INSTITUTIONS:
The Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH): state organisation responsible for technical leadership, research & extension, health management, breeding services and leading the provincial and grass-root setup of the livestock sector in Sri Lanka.
The National Livestock Development Board (NLDB): the only government-owned poultry producer. The NLDB possesses three parent poultry breeder farms (Miriswatta, Karandagolla and Marawila) where they produce day-old broiler and layer chicks for farmers.
The Veterinary Research Institute: only national level organisation of its kind, administrated by the Department of Animal Production and Health under the purview of the State Ministry of Livestock Farm Promotion and Dairy & Egg Related Industries. The institute is involved in the production of vaccines against infectious animal diseases and performs diagnostic, analytical and advisory services, in addition to the research activities in the livestock and poultry sector.
Other stakeholders in the poultry sector include the Sri Lankan branch of the World Poultry Science Association (WPSA) as they promote learning and education throughout the sector in partnership with leading universities and academic institutes in Sri Lanka. In June 1998, the branch started with a small membership of 25 and the membership has now grown to 100, including 11 corporate members. The members consist of veterinarians, poultry scientists, farmers input suppliers and all others with interest in poultry.
Sri Lanka Association of Animal Production (SLAAP) was established in 1997 with the participation of stakeholders representing all layers of livestock and poultry sectors, with the objective of creating an open forum to discuss and share ideas, to learn about innovations in the sectors, to discuss and debate crucial issues and to direct policy makers towards the improvements of the livestock & poultry industries.
The One Health Poultry Hub was established in Sri Lanka with the aim of improving the quality of poultry products according to international food safety standards, minimising public health risks and promoting international trade through the intensification of sustainable poultry production.
BACKGROUND: POULTRY SECTOR IN SRI LANKA
The poultry industry is the fastest growing livestock industry in Sri Lanka. Poultry farming is one of the major components in animal husbandry, which raises domestic birds, mainly chickens and other birds, such as ducks, turkeys, quails and geese to produce meat or eggs for food consumption. The cost of production continued to rise, narrowing down the opportunity to lower product prices. As the fastest growing livestock industry in Sri Lanka, the poultry sector contributes a considerable share of the GDP of the country and the main reason is that poultry products are considered essential food items for supply of animal proteins at a relatively lower price.
TRAINING NEEDS AND OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of the different project activities is to contribute to the further improvement of the poultry sector in Sri Lanka in terms of competitiveness, efficiency, food quality and food safety, animal welfare, sustainability and environmental impact. Besides, with this project the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Colombo aims to scope for Dutch opportunities for cooperation, trade and investments in the poultry sector.
The following training subjects were incorporated in the project:
In all relevant training topics: good farming practices (related to breeding, hatching, layers and broilers), disease prevention, control and treatment, precision feeding, proper housing and husbandry practises, climate smart housing, circular waste management aspects, value chain development and connecting relevant Dutch and Sri-Lankan stakeholders.
To assure structural knowledge transfer, the consortium will work conform the “training-of-trainer approach” (ToT). The relevant training subjects are clustered into four major training courses to support Sri-Lankan poultry farmers on the implementation of sustainable poultry farm production practices for both extension workers and farmers:
- Feed management
- Health management
- Farm business and quality & safety management
- ToT skills methodology and practical ToT skills/ employee instruction methodology and skills (for broiler chicken and layer chicken farmers)
CIENT:
Financed by RVO, project number: SRIRVO CJ 220210.
REQUESTING PARTY AND PARTNERS:
Project implementation partners: The implementing partners and experts Q-Point, HollandDoor, Vetworks, Trouw Nutrition India (Nutreco) and the University of Peradeniya (UOP) will form a team of complementary international, regional and local experts to implement the project activities in a sustainable way
- HollandDoor
- Vetworks
- Trouw Nutrition
- University of Peradeniya (UOP) and Sri Lanka Association of Animal Production (SLAAP)
DURATION:
Jan 2022 to December 2023
