Engineering Team Develops Digital Platform for Mahaweli Farmers

By Publicity Division (IESL)

A team of engineers has developed a digital Platform for Mahaweli farmers. This application has an interface with the Mahaweli Authority, (MASL) where all the input details will be updated at MASL end.

The app has two main buttons as “selling” and “Production Details.” Under the selling button, Farmer can present their item for selling by indicating product type, quantity, contact No and location in the google map where buyers can find him. In the Production details button, farmers can present their future production by indicating product type, cultivated plot area, expected yield, and timing. This information is vital for the planning of the Mahaweli Authority, where MASL can understand the future yield with the product type, which is needed for the government decision making process.

Digital platform development was initiated by Eng. M.G.Hemachandra, a Senior Project specialist, Japan International Cooperation Agency, and Hon. Treasurer of Institute of Engineers Sri Lanka. They use the experience of PEACE, ICIM, and SouthCAP, which are previous JICA projects. Eng. Dr. Ranil Sugathadasa, Senior Lecturer, Department of Transport & Logistics Mgt, Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa, and Eng. Mahinda Senarath, General Manager. Laugf Power were also contributed to the project.

Eng. Dr. Pradeep Kumara Wijesekara Abeygunawardhana, Head/ Department of Computer Systems Engineering, SLIIT, Malabe Campus led the software development with Eng. P. H. Tharindu Dharmasena, Eng. P. H. Ravindu Dharmasena, and Eng. Nisal Shehan.

The Developed solution was presented to the Director-General of the Mahaweli Authority on 23 April 2020. It has been decided to implement within two weeks after pilot running. Mr. Lanka, Director, Planning MASL, and several other officials were also present on occasion. This digital platform shall be further developed with the implementation lessons. Unit Managers of MASL are to implement it.

“This application will also be developed in the areas of water management and fertilizer allocation with the knowledge of each Farmer’s land characteristics, subsidy allocation, tracking farmers’ income level, connecting with field officers, regulating the market price with annual price review, analysis for wastage control, continuous quality improvement of product and value addition for the product, etc. in the agriculture value chain, Eng. Hemachandra,” said.