By Ifham Nizam

Halgolla Estate, a subsidiary of Kelani Valley Plantations (KVPL) recently announced the historic achievement of a Triple Crown of world firsts at a gathering bringing together local and global stakeholders in the plantations industry. Among other things, the event highlighted the need for environment-friendly business enterprise.

The Triple Crown consisted of these titles; ‘World’s first tea estate to receive the Regenerative Agriculture certification’, ‘World’s first intellectual tourism concept’ and the ‘World’s first tea estate to establish a biodiversity conservation center’.

Chief Guest Dutch ambassador Bonnie Horbach stressed the pressing need for proactive measures in combating climate change, emphasizing the tangible impacts already being felt across the globe.

With recent weather anomalies serving as poignant reminders of the urgency of the situation, the ambassador called for visionary leadership and collective action to address this existential threat.

Highlighting the Halgolla Estate’s pivotal role in the sustainability journey, she lauded the collaborative efforts that led to the successful implementation of the agroforestry project. She added: ‘This initiative, initiated in partnership with the Dutch embassy and other organizations, serves as a shining example of how integration of environmental concerns into business practices can yield remarkable results.’

The crowning achievement of the day came with the announcement of ‘Regenagri’ certification for the Halgolla Estate, making it the first tea estate globally to receive this prestigious recognition. This certification, which reflects a commitment to regenerative agriculture practices, signifies a paradigm shift in the way tea is produced, consumed, and perceived on the global stage.

Commenting on Halgolla Estate’s landmark achievements, Hayleys chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mohan Pandithage said: “We are incredibly honored to count such an exemplary estate among our ranks. Halgolla Estate has been steadfast in upholding its values, and their recognition among the world’s best is well deserved. They are a beacon of innovation and sustainability, setting a model for the entire sector and representing the future of the plantations industry locally, regionally, and globally.”

“The model of sustainability that Halgolla Estate has created is a prime example of the potential of plantations estates in the country. With the country’s renewed vigour towards tourism, combined with Hayleys focus towards value addition, Halgolla is leading the way for what we envision the future of plantations to be, said Hayleys Plantations Managing Director Dr. Roshan Rajadurai.

Anuruddha Thiththagalla Gamage,General Manager- HR & Corporate Sustainability Kelani Valley Plantations PLC, speaking to The Island Financial Review said that their achievement underscores their commitment to sustainability and leadership within the tea industry. ‘It demonstrates that responsible land management and regenerative practices can coexist with successful tea production. Halgolla serves as a beacon, inspiring others to adopt these methods and contribute to a more sustainable future for agriculture, he said.

Halgolla Estate, located in Yatiyantota in Kegalle district, is a unique estate which boasts rich biodiversity, documented through long-term research by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2009.

He added: “We regularly assess this biodiversity and monitor the health of the environment, including rich catchment areas for major rivers, natural forests within the plantation landscape, and a mix of crop varieties with forest reservations. To witness with evidence, referring to the recent scientific data and research findings, approximately 90% endemic bird species identified within plantation landscape of KVPL and more importantly about 85% of endemic bird species can be identified in Halgolla.”

“Of the 251 floral species and 310 faunal species identified from research by IUCN- SL, approximately 36% and 39 % are endemic species, respectively. There is a lot more scientific evidence on threatened, critically endangered floral and faunal species found within a landscape of a 200 ft to 3500 ft elevation which is a unique feature to explain the rich biodiversity of Halgolla.”

He also said that Analysing the sensitivity and criticality of the environment and rich biodiversity at Halgolla and thinking beyond the traditional tourism often focuses on relaxation and scenic beauty, we have brainstormed an innovative, a new approach:

“We as KVPL, would wish to announce the world’s first ‘intellectual tourism’ Project at Halgolla Estate. This innovative model goes beyond sightseeing, offering visitors a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the fascinating world of conservation and biodiversity.”

Senior Policy Advisor-Agriculture, embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands – Sri Lanka, Nishan Dissanayake told The Island Financial Review that regenerative agriculture prioritizes environmental health and sustainability over high yielding mono cropping agriculture. “This is therefore a different value chain. This is not the traditional tea value chain. The main challenge for these emerging eco based value chains is under-developed markets. And lack of market connections due to poorly developed policies, he said.

‘Fortunately, I see that EU has taken many measures to tackle these issues and the EU market is becoming an attractive market for these environmentally value added products. In December 2023, EU legislators reached a provisional deal on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). This law require large businesses to identify and address their impacts on people and planet. There is a process to follow to ensure human rights and environmental due diligence. This is the most ambitious legislation in the world so far to oblige bigger companies, both inside and outside of the EU, to take responsibility for the impact of their activities on human rights and the environment. Ultimately, this law will create and facilitate the market in the EU for the products produced in environmentally sustainable ways, Dissanayake said.