Agecon Research in Sri Lanka
Introduction
Agricultural economics research activities in Sri Lanka are carried out by different institutions within the National Agriculture Research System (NARS), universities, other government agencies, and international organizations.
National Agencies
National Agriculture Research System (NARS) consists of research centers each focusing on identified commodities or agriculture in a region within the country. Commodity research institutes are autonomous boards established under parlimentary acts. Department of Agriculture research network consists of reseach centers focusing on commodity groups and those focus on agro-ecological regions in the country. Department of Export Agriculture conducts research on a group of identified perrenial crops while Livestock research is conducted by the Veterinery Research Institute. Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Trainning Institute (HARTI) and Agriculture Division of the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) conducts socioeconomic research on agriculture related issues in Sri Lanka. HARTI is a parastatal research organization while the Institute of Policy Studies in Sri Lanka is an autonomous economic research institute. Economic Research Department of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and People's Bank Research Department carry out research mainly on aspects of agricultural fincnce. CCentral Enviornment Authority and the Ministry of Enviornment conducts research and also assist other researchers in conducting research related to enviornmental and natural resource issues. University academic departments also actively invlove in research activites both as a part of their respective trainning programs and as academic research as part of their mission in integrating education and research.
Collaborative research by International Agricultural Research Centers (IARCs)
Several International Agricultural Research Centers of the CGIAR system conduct collaborative research with national paetners. International Water Management Institute (IWMI) with its headquarters in Colombo has contributed in a massive way to build agecon research capacity in Sri Lanka. IWMI 's research activites mainly focuses on the Ruhuna Benchmark Basin,, that comprises of four major river basins flowing southward from central hills. Work of IWMI's Sri Lanka National Program extends to other areas of the country.
International Food Policy Research Institute involves in research capacity building of national researchers based in NARS in Sri Lanka under its South Asia Initiative. while International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) conducts a long-term research collaboration with the National Rice Research and Development Center.
Other agencies
International NGOs operating in Sri Lanka, notably, Sri Lanka Office of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. (IUCNSL) and Intermedeate Technology Development Group contribute to agecon research, especially in the areas of natural resource management.
Research Facilitator agencies
Sri Lanka Council for Agricultural Research Policy (SLCARP) facilitates interactions among various institutions within the NARS and also is the main focal point for research collaboration with other countries and IARCs. National Science foundation of Sri Lanka facilitates interactions between scientists in the agriculture sector and the other sectors through its interdiciplinery research committees. SLCARP and NSFSL also functions as major grant making bodies for scientific research in sSri Lanka.