Fourth season of CIC’s best farmers programme underway
View(s):The fourth season of CIC’s “Shoora Goviya” programme is currently underway and all preparations are in place to recognize the best young farmers in the country.
The company said the competition is an initiative by CIC to further encourage the younger generation to commit to farming and ensure the future development and progress of Sri Lankan agriculture.
In addition to the sponsorship of CIC Agri businesses, the Department of Agriculture, the Agriculture Faculty of the University of Peradeniya, the Sri Lanka Tea Research Institute, the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority, the Tea Commissioner’s Office of the Sri Lanka Tea Board, the All Ceylon Small Tea Planters’ Association, the Sri Lanka Tea Factory Owners’ Association, the Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka, the Coconut Cultivation Board, the Coconut Development Authority and the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Wayamba – Makandura will be contributing to the programme by being on the judging panel.
The 2012-2013 competition will choose the “Shoora Goviya” among farmers engaged in paddy farming, fruit and vegetable cultivation and livestock husbandry, while competitions will also be conducted for the best young entrepreneur in the Smallholder sector – tea as well as best young entrepreneur in Smallholder sector – coconut.
From the thousands of applications received from young men and women engaged in farming across the nation, contestants were chosen for the second round on a provincial basis, the CIC media statement added. Chosen by a panel of experts, participants will compete from the third round onwards in their respective provincial teams. Eight farmers who are winners from the past three seasons and members of the “Shoora Goviya” front and eight popular artistes will lead and advice the teams as mentors.
The teams will compete under the guidance of the following “Shoora Goviya” alumni and celebrities: Thavaraaza Manoranjan and Ms. Nirosha Virajini for the Northern Province, A. Subeindran and Ms. K. Sujeewa for the Eastern Province, Randunu Seneviratne and Sriyantha Mendis for the North Central Province, Jude Sherideen and Gayantha Wijeratne for the North Western Province, N.C. Malwana and Ms. Nilmini Tennekoon for the Central Province, Nihal Subasinghe and Gayan Wickremasinghe for the Uva Province, Priyantha Weeraratne and Suraj Mapa for the Southern Province, and Lalinda Fernando and Sanath K. Wimalasiri for the Western Province.
As with the past three seasons, the winners of the fourth season of CIC “Shoora Goviya” will be awarded international scholarships as well as motor vehicles and monetary rewards.
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