Progress of National Programme on Digital Interoperability in the Agriculture Sector Reviewed
The progress of the national programme aimed at establishing digital interoperability among systems to support the digital transformation of the agriculture sector was reviewed under the leadership of the Hon. Lal Kantha, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation.
The progress review meeting was held on 16 December 2025 at the Ministry premises, under the patronage of the Hon. Minister.
Launched in 2023, this national initiative is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation, the Ministry of Plantation Industries, and the Ministry of Fisheries. The programme receives technical assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with financial support provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The primary objective of the programme is to interconnect fragmented data systems across the agriculture sector, reduce data duplication, and establish an integrated, accurate, and reliable data access mechanism to support evidence-based decision-making. It was revealed during the meeting that the project has achieved significant progress to date.
The discussions also explored the use of advanced technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to further enhance data analysis and strengthen policy and decision-making processes.
Addressing the meeting, the Hon. Minister emphasized the importance of integrating the land sector into the digital interoperability framework within the next six months.
The Hon. Minister further highlighted that this initiative is not merely a technical project, but a national programme built on inter-institutional collaboration, strong leadership, and accountability. He stressed that data should be recognized as a national asset and responsibly shared within the established legal framework to enable sound policy decisions and the efficient delivery of services to the farming community.
