Sri Lanka launches CROPIX DPI to bridge gaps in agriculture

Sri Lanka‘s national digital platform for agriculture, CROPIX (Crop Resources, Optimizing Operations through Precise Information exchange) was launched recently.

This integrates previously fragmented data systems, facilitating efficient data sharing among government institutions and addressing existing bottlenecks in the agricultural sector, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Eng. Eranga Weeraratne said at the launch, highlighting that farmers will benefit from automated data exchanges, reducing the need for cumbersome paperwork. The CROPIX system consolidates various agricultural data, including the national crop registry and yield forecasting, into a single platform accessible via mobile applications and web portals. “This integration fosters collaboration among farmers, officials, and policymakers, providing a reliable data source,” Weeraratna said.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative Vimlendra Sharan underscored the system’s role in identifying climate risks and aligning cultivation plans with market demands.

Along with this, the Agricultural Enterprise Framework and the data sharing policy were also launched to modernize the agricultural sector. This initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture and FAO with funding from the Gates Foundation, aims to enhance evidence-based decision-making and improve agricultural governance.

Minister of Agriculture, Hon. K.D. Lalkantha described this launch as a pivotal moment for agricultural governance in Sri Lanka. “This initiative is expected to enhance services for farmers and strengthen food security in Sri Lanka by promoting a data-driven agricultural culture.”

The launch event was attended by the Acting Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy and the UN Resident Coordinator, underscoring the significance of this development.

A number of countries are heading digital agriculture missions. India’s is advancing steadily with more than 84 million farmer IDs generated and Moldova’s Digital National Farmers Register is set to become a nationwide system, with support from the UNDP and European Union. Nigeria and Zimbabwe recently launched farmer digital ID initiatives with the support of programs such as Mastercard’s Community Pass which enables farmers to have a presence in the digital economy and the SADC (Southern African Development Community) Digital Farmer ID.

Article Topics

Cropix  |  digital economy  |  digital public infrastructure  |  farmer ID  |  Sri Lanka