Sri Lanka Launches Landmark Digital Foundations for a Data-Driven Agriculture Sector

Sri Lanka today took a major step towards transforming its agriculture sector with the official launch of the Agriculture Enterprise Architecture Framework, Agriculture Interoperability Framework, Data Sharing Policies, and CROPIX, a national digital platform for crop data and decision-making. The high-level launch event, co-hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation and the […]

Sri Lanka’s Proposed Counterterrorism Law Risks More Abuses: Human Rights Watch

The Sri Lanka government’s proposed counterterrorism legislation includes numerous provisions similar to the current abusive law and risks facilitating the same kind of repression, Human Rights Watch said today. The bill does not meet benchmarks set out by the United Nations counterterrorism expert or comply with human rights obligations and commitments that Sri Lanka made […]

FAO Appeals for USD 16.5 Mn to Restore Livelihoods after Cyclone Ditwah Devastates SL’s Agrifood Sector

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters in Rome issued an appeal calling for international assistance of USD 16.5 million to support the early recovery of livelihoods and food security for farming, livestock-keeping and fishing communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. Cyclone Ditwah represents one of the most severe climate shocks the country has […]

Ray Jayawardhana Appointed Caltech’s Tenth President

January 8, 2026 (LBO) – Dr. Ray Jayawardhana, an accomplished academic leader and renowned astrophysicist who currently serves as provost of Johns Hopkins University, has been named Caltech’s next president, the tenth in the Institute’s 105-year history. Jayawardhana’s appointment by Caltech’s Board of Trustees, announced today at a community-wide gathering on the Institute’s Pasadena campus, […]

Ditwah causes widespread devastation to agriculture, fisheries & rural livelihoods in SL: FAO

Cyclone Storm Ditwah made landfall on 27 November 2025 and lingered over the country for nearly three days, bringing exceptionally heavy rainfall that triggered severe flooding and numerous landslides, resulting in widespread devastation nationwide. As of 16 December 2025, official reports confirm that more than 2.2 million people have been affected, representing about 10 percent […]

MAP: Flood Impacts on Agriculture Across Sri Lanka

New data from the Department of Agriculture, compiled with FAO support, highlights the scale of flood impacts on agriculture across Sri Lanka. The maps show flood-affected areas of paddy, vegetables, and other field crops, with the most significant damage concentrated in several major agricultural districts. These impacts threaten livelihoods, food production, and household food security, […]

Page 1 of 861