33 Agricultural Professionals from 11 Asian Countries Gather to Kandy to Learn Sri Lanka's Experience in Market-Oriented Agriculture

On 7th September 2026, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Department of Agriculture of Sri Lanka jointly commenced the SHEP International Training in Sri Lanka. The program brings together 33 participants from 11 Asian countries to learn firsthand from Sri Lanka’s experience in implementing the Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) Approach.

The training is organized as part of JICA’s Knowledge Co-Creation Program (KCCP) on Market-Oriented Agriculture Promotion through the SHEP Approach. Following study sessions in Japan for 2 weeks, participants will spend five days from 7^th September to 11^th September in Sri Lanka observing how the SHEP Approach has been adapted and institutionalized within the Sri Lanka’s agricultural extension system.

The opening ceremony was attended by Hon. Namal Karunarathne, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Land and Irrigation, and Dr. WART Wickramaarachchi, Director General of Department of Agriculture and senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture. Also, representatives of development partners and the private sector, master trainers, and international participants joined the ceremony. During the ceremony, Mr. Shigeo Honzu, Chief Representative of the JICA Sri Lanka Office, welcomed the participants and highlighted Sri Lanka’s achievements in successful implementation of SHEP approach. He noted that Sri Lanka is hosting the international field exposure program for the second time, reflecting the successful outcomes achieved through the implementation of the SHEP Approach in the country.

SHEP Approach, originally developed in Kenya, promotes a transformation in farmers’ mindsets from “Grow and Sell” to “Grow to Sell” by encouraging production decisions based on market demand. Due to its proven effectiveness in improving farmers’ livelihoods, the approach is now being implemented in more than 60 countries worldwide and has been adopted by various development organizations and partners.

Throughout the training, international participants will visit the Dedicated Economic Center (DEC) in Keppetipola, one of Sri Lanka’s major agricultural marketing hubs, where they will conduct market surveys and interact directly with traders, buyers, farmers, and agricultural extension officers. Then the participants will visit SHEP farmer groups in the Nuwara Eliya District, providing opportunities to learn directly from farmers who have successfully adopted SHEP approach.

SHEP approach has been introduced to Sri Lanka by a technical cooperation project by JICA through July 2021 to March 2026. And implementation of the approach is continuing through the efforts of the Department of Agriculture and Provincial Departments of Agriculture, demonstrating strong national ownership and sustainability.

JICA remains committed to working closely with the Government of Sri Lanka and development partners to promote market-oriented agriculture, strengthen farmers’ livelihoods, and contribute to sustainable agricultural transformation in Sri Lanka and beyond.