Outreach programme on promotion of pomegranate cultivation

The National Research Council successfully conducted the fourth quarter outreach programme for 2016, “Proper management and cultivation practices to increase quality and quantity of pomegranate yield” which was held at the Department of Agriculture Training Center, Vaddakachchi, Kilinochchi, on 15^th September 2016.

Resource person: Dr. Pradeepa Bandaranayake

(NRC Grant No: 12-113, University of Peradeniya, Department of Agriculture)

Collaborators of the project: Prof. Palitha Weerakkody & Dr. R.H.G.Ranil together with Ms. Muditha Kumari, Mr. Ananda, and Mr. Ikram from DOA Kalpitiya who served as resource persons.

Translator: Ms. Saruja Selvascandan (lecturer – University of Jaffna)

Target Audience: Farmers and Agriculture Officers from Kilinochchi & Mullativu Districts. More than 75 participants.

Summary: The programme was delivered as a one day workshop, and knowledge generated through research was transferred to potential users (selected farmers who were interested in large-scale cultivation). The programme consisted of videos with a field practice session on cultivation and management of pomegranates. This was followed by a question and answer session. Mr.S. Sivakumar, Provincial Director of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, Northern Province, and other personnel from DOA helped to organize and conduct the programme. A booklet was published in both Sinhala and Tamil languages and a booklet (Tamil) together with pomegranate plants was given to every participant.