The Rural Economy Ministry in partnership with the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) is to commence the “Govi Gnana Centre” pilot project which will empower villages including farmers by linking up with the world wide web.

Minister Bandula Gunawardane said that the first “Govi Gnana” project will commence at the Meegoda Economic Centre on January 09 at 8.00 p.m. followed by another at the Dambulla Economic Centre on January 10 at 6.00 p.m.

“These Centres will enable the farmer, trader etc to obtain information on supply, demand, current prices in these Centres on 143 varieties of vegetables through the Internet or by telephoning on special numbers specified on each,” the Minister said.

This programme will commence under Prime Minister’s Regaining Sri Lanka programme and with the assistance of ICTA which comes under Economic Reforms, Science and Technology Minister Milinda Moragoda.  The program has also got the blessings of the Central Bank and the regional units affiliated to the Central Bank.

“The World Bank has granted Rs. 9 million to commence this pilot project,” Minister Gunawardane said.

“During this year the network of dedicated economic centres will be expanded covering Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Kandakapuhandiya at Hanguranketha, Moneragala, Thabuthttegama, Veyangoda, Maradagahamula, Ratmalana and Kesbewa,” the Minister said adding that with the success of initial starting to introduce the system to indicate market prices through internet.

Programme Specialist, ICT Agency of Sri Lanka Dilantha Withanage said that it is the implementing organization of the e-Sri Lanka initiative under ‘Regaining Sri Lanka’ which aims to develop the economy of Sri Lanka.  He said that this project will help to share agricultural price information.  This solution is implemented by the GGS Consortium comprising of e-Development Labs, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Interblocks for the Ministry of Rural Economy, together with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

Mr. Withanage said that the Govi Gnana system will empower the farmer to benefit from greater access to information providing long term visibility and predictability of income and details on demand of trends for harvesting.  He explaining about the Govi Gnana system said that the spot prices will be collected from the Meegoda and Dambulla economic centers by using hand-held devices and subsequently projected on display terminals located in the centers.

Director of Govijana Gnana project Dr. Harsha de Silva said this programme hopes to help reduce price volatility by shared knowledge and also lead to an increase in forward sales contracts.