With the aim of further empowering Sri Lankan fisheries societies and improving their management, operational and economic capacities, a 10-day international capacity development training programme is scheduled to be conducted with the financial assistance of the Government of India.

The training programme has been organized under the theme “Indian Cooperative Societies Field Visit for Building and Empowering Strong and Efficient Fisheries Societies in Sri Lanka.”

Organized by the renowned Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management (VAMNICOM) in India, with the financial sponsorship of the Government of India, this training programme will be held in Pune, Maharashtra, for a period of 10 days from the 14th to the 23rd of this month.

A discussion pertaining to this training programme was held at the High Commission of India in Colombo. The discussion was attended by Dr. B. K. Kolitha Kamal Jinadasa, Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, along with Additional Secretary Engineer N. Sivalingam, Director Yasintha Gunawardena, Assistant Director H. M. S. R. B. Herath, L. G. Ajantha Kumara, Secretary of the National Fisheries Federation, and Training Coordinator Ms. H. P. G. M. K. Ariyawansa.

Representing the High Commission of India, Dr. C. Rambabu, Political Counsellor and Head of Office, Kuldeep Kumar Bafna, Co-Officer for Development Cooperation, S. Mithuran, Project Officer for Development Cooperation, and Training Coordinator Ms. Roshini Thomas also participated in the discussion.

During this discussion, held prior to the delegation’s departure for India, extensive discussions were held on a range of matters including the objectives of the training programme, expected outcomes, training activities, and the exchange of knowledge related to the cooperative sector between the two countries.

A group of 20 participants is scheduled to take part in this training programme. The group will include three fisheries department officers representing the districts of Galle, Matara, Kalutara and Puttalam, as well as delegates  of 17 selected fisheries societies from those districts. The Secretary of the National Fisheries Federation will also be part of this group.

Through this training, participants are expected to exchange experiences and receive field training on a wide range of areas, including management methods, operational practices, member participation, economic empowerment, marketing strategies, and institutional capacity development of successfully functioning cooperative societies in India.

Through this initiative, it is also expected to enhance the management capabilities and economic strength of fisheries societies in Sri Lanka, while introducing new approaches and methodologies to strengthen the livelihoods of fishing communities.

This project is being implemented under the programme announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025, through which specialized capacity-building training is provided annually to 700 Sri Lankans across various sectors. These training programmes are provided in addition to the regular Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) training programmes.

Under this new capacity development framework, which aims to enhance the knowledge, capacities and professional skills of Sri Lankans representing various sectors, training programmes are being conducted in India for Sri Lankans in diverse fields, including cooperatives, healthcare, entrepreneurship and media.

Accordingly, it is highly significant that representatives of fisheries societies in Sri Lanka are receiving such a specialized international-level training opportunity for the first time.

Expressing his support for this project, Dr. B. K. Kolitha Kamal Jinadasa, Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, expressed his gratitude to the Government of India and the High Commission of India for providing this important opportunity for the capacity development of the Sri Lankan fishing community.

It is expected that such skills development and knowledge-sharing programmes, implemented on the foundation of Sri Lanka–India friendship, will further strengthen cooperative relations between the two countries while also making an important contribution to the sustainable economic growth of the Sri Lankan fishing community.