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USAID’s Accelerator Programme showcases innovative entrepreneurs supporting climate resilient approaches

Published

2 years ago

2023/08/4

August 3, 2023, COLOMBO: Ten entrepreneurs who received intensive help from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Good Life X (GLX) business accelerator to develop their climate adaptation ideas displayed their results in a Demo Day event on 02 August.

This Demo Day marked the end of an eight-month program to help early-stage businesses grow into scalable and sustainable enterprises that can enhance the climate resilience of agriculture, fisheries, and tourism-associated livelihoods in Sri Lanka. The 10 businesses showcased their innovations at the event before an audience of more than 80 investors, partners and collaborators.

Climate smart innovations introduced at the live-streamed event included products to better preserve food, solar charging kits, energy efficient tea dryers, urban farming models, and seaweed-based organic fertilizer among others. The businesses were coached by experts in innovation, business, climate change, agriculture and tourism through a Climate Change Accelerator activity of GLX and USAID’s Climate Change Adaptation project.

“It is inspirational to think that one of the greatest challenges facing our world also presents some of the best business opportunities,” said United States Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Douglas Sonnek, who addressed the event. “I am impressed with the leadership these enterprises have shown in tackling climate change.”

Randhula de Silva, Founder CEO of GLX noted the importance of applying the innovations of entrepreneurs to tackling climate change adaptation.

“Climate change, whether we like it or not, is real,” she said. “And is the most urgent threat to food security, biodiversity, and livelihoods; in short, to life on earth. This program was tailored to bring climate adaptation into the hands of entrepreneurs, so that our communities and ecosystems stand resilient and thriving amidst the changes.”

The 10 showcased businesses and their innovations were: Food Things, an enterprise that is engaged in preservation of food products explained their new vacuum sealer machine that increases the shelf-life of the food and their plans to use a solar powered food dryer;

• Kulumoto, the eco-transport enterprise explained the prototype solar charging kit that offers a zero-carbon footprint solution to potential buyers, as opposed to their earlier model relying on the power grid;

• Saruketha Organics, which produces homemade organic forest tea with a few small-scale tea growers, explained their new energy efficient tea drying machine.

• Ceylon Green and Aqua, explained its urban farming model that combines aquaponics and integrated outdoor farming methods;

• Carbon Blueprint, explained its new seaweed cultivation plan with an expanded value addition process for cultivated seaweed to manufacture liquid organic fertilizers for vegetables and ornamental plants;

• Tourmate.lk (re-branded as Eco Escape- Galle), an eco-tourism venture committed to the conservation of the Keppu Ela (river) and its mangroves, explained its new business model with an electric motor-powered boat to facilitate tours with near zero environmental footprint;

• Inova explained its bio-char production business as a soil conditioner as a waste reduction process;

• Therapy Ceylon explained its business of producing infused tea using native herbs, spices and flowers;

• Iluktenne Plant Nursery, which produces plants and seeds of export crops, explained its expansion to introduce forest plant seedlings in nurseries, ensuring the conservation of forest plants that are at risk of climate change and deforestation, and;

• The Raawana Agro Limited, explained its venture of educating rural farmers on polytunnel greenhouses and other climate-smart technologies that can be used by farmers to better adapt to climate change related impacts.

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Financial contribution from Gift Sri Lanka Foundation and the Georgia Buddhist Vihara, USA, for disaster relief

Published

4 hours ago

2025/12/19

Priyan

In support of relief efforts for communities affected by the Ditwah cyclone, Gift Sri Lanka Foundation and the Georgia Buddhist Vihara (GBV), USA, have made a financial contribution of USD 16,000 to the Government’s ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund.

The relevant cheque was formally handed over on Thursday (18) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat by the Chief Incumbent of the Georgia Buddhist Vihara, Most Venerable Panamwela Vajirabuddha Nayaka Thero, to the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

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European Union provides over Euro 2.35 million Humanitarian Assistance to Sri Lanka

Published

4 hours ago

2025/12/19

Priyan

The European Union has allocated a total of Euro 2.35 million of financial assistance to Sri Lanka. This includes Euro 500,000 through IFRC and Euro 1.85 million through DG-European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) partners, WFP and UNICEF as humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka, in response to the impact of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah,

In addition to the above allocation, the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), which brings together 37 participating States, all 27 EU member States, as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine, is providing in-kind assistance to Sri Lanka.

As a part of the UCPM in kind assistance being provided, on Wednesday, 17th December, Sri Lanka received an aid shipment, with two air cargo flights arriving in Colombo from Germany, France and Luxembourg. This aid shipment included 83 tonnes of relief items such as family tents, mattresses, hygiene and kitchen kits, beds and water filters. The supplies are intended for distribution among communities most affected by the cyclone.

The arrival of the assistance was welcomed by the EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Carmen Moreno, French Ambassador, Rémi Lambert, and the Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy, Sarah Hasselbarth. On behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, the donations were received by Sugeeshwara Gunaratna, Director General / Europe & North America, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism and Chathura Liyanarachchi, Director, Disaster Management Center (DMC).

Italy has also provided a team of structural engineers to support Sri Lanka’s disaster assessment and recovery process.

Furthermore, the EU has activated its Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMS) in rapid mapping mode, with around 30 maps produced so far.

The European Union has committed continued cooperation and support to Sri Lanka’s disaster recovery and rebuilding process, reaffirming the enduring friendship and strong partnership between Sri Lanka and the European Union.

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Sajith: Met Dept. officials under virtual house arrest

Published

6 hours ago

2025/12/19

Thilina Walpola

Sajith Premadasa

… hands over proposal asking for PSC probe into govt.’s lapses

Opposition and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday accused the government of having gagged the Meteorology Department officials, who, he said, had been placed under virtual house arrest. He claimed that they had been barred from speaking to the media.

Speaking in Parliament, Premadasa said withholding information from the public was unacceptable. He insisted that the Meteorology Department and international agencies had repeatedly issued warnings about extreme weather events between November 11 and 26. He demanded to know why Sri Lanka’s disaster management mechanism had not been activated in a timely manner.

“The key issue is why the country’s disaster management system failed to respond when the risks were clearly identified,” he told the House, describing the lapse as a serious failure of governance.

Condemning attempts to silence officials, Premadasa said acknowledging mistakes was the only way forward. “If we are wrong, we should admit it. If we are right, we should say so. Silencing professionals will help solve problems.

The Opposition Leader also called for a National Disaster Response Force and amendments to the Disaster Management Act to strengthen preparedness and response mechanisms.

Premadasa and several other Opposition MPs have submitted a formal proposal to the Speaker seeking the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate the government’s failure to mitigate the impact of Cyclone Ditwah.

The Opposition has demanded a 30-member select committee tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the institutional and administrative failures during the disaster.

Describing the government’s lack of preparedness as deeply regrettable, the MPs have said that timely action would have helped save many lives and reduced the scale of destruction caused by the cyclone.

By Saman Indrajith ✍️