Sri Lanka Launches AgriConnect Plan to Transform Agriculture and Create Jobs

The Sri Lankan Government, in partnership with the World Bank Group and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), today announced the launch of the Sri Lanka AgriConnect Integrated Implementation Plan, an initiative aimed at transforming the country's agri-food sector, creating jobs and strengthening food security.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said Sri Lanka was committed to transforming its agri-food sector from one primarily focused on commodity production into a sector that generates greater value, better employment and stronger opportunities for rural communities.

She emphasised that farmers, fishers and rural communities should not merely benefit from development but should also be partners in building a stronger, more productive and resilient economy.

The Prime Minister added that the AgriConnect plan would support the government's public investment programme by connecting farmers with finance, technology and markets, attracting private investment and expanding employment opportunities across rural Sri Lanka.

Aligned with the government's national development agenda, the 2026–2030 Public Investment Programme and the World Bank Group's Country Partnership Framework, the initiative brings together the government, development partners, financial institutions, agribusinesses and farmers under a shared vision for a more productive, climate-resilient and market-oriented food sector.

The programme aims to improve access to agricultural value chains for 900,000 farmers by 2030.

It will be supported by US$550 million in World Bank Group investments and US$115 million from IFAD, while also seeking to mobilise up to US$170 million in private capital over the next five years.

Agriculture and food processing contribute at least 15% of Sri Lanka's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 30% of merchandise exports and approximately one-third of the country's employment.

Sarvesh Suri, Regional Vice President for South Asia and the Pacific, said Sri Lanka had globally competitive agricultural products and strong entrepreneurial potential.

He noted that the priority was to connect farmers and agribusinesses with the finance, technology and markets they needed. He added that aligning public and private investment through innovative financing and risk-sharing solutions could unlock capital, strengthen agribusinesses and generate more employment.

As the first country in South Asia to formally integrate under the AgriConnect initiative, Sri Lanka is expected to strengthen partnerships between farmers and agribusinesses while advancing agricultural financing, agricultural technology (AgTech), value chains, connectivity, climate-resilient irrigation, skills development and research.