Expert Consultation Workshop on “New Marketing Options and Guidelines for Agro Biodiversity and Food with High Nutritional Value Identified and Developed”

The expert consultation workshop for developing new marketing options and guidelines for agro-biodiversity and food with high nutritional value was held on 16th June 2017. The workshop was held from 9.00a.m. to 12.00p.m at the Plant Genetic Resources Centre (PGRC) with participation of 40 expert stakeholders from respective divisions of the University of Peradeniya and Department of Agriculture; including the Horticultural Crop Research and Development Institute, Rice Research & Development Institute, Field Crop Research and Development Institute and Economics Division. The workshop was co-organized by the BFN project management unit and Agri-business centre, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya.

The main aim of the workshop was to identify the demand and supply for high value agro-biodiversity products of different crops,
determine priority issues related to food product development and understand potential challenges and opportunities for establishment of a sustainable agro-biodiversity marketing system. Presentations were made by experts on selection of priority target agro-biodiversity species and on different aspects of promoting target species. These inputs will be used utilized by the marketing consultancy team at the Agri-business centre, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya to formulate a vision and develop an upgrading strategy for value chain and market development with the development of guidelines & management plans for the sustainable production and use of wild and cultivated resources by identifying suitable assess markets or market niches nationally and in project targeted ecosystems.