Sri Lankan government considers digital database for food imports
The Morning: The Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development has revealed a proposal to introduce a digital database to collect information on essential food commodity supplies, particularly food imports, and their availability in the local market.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development Secretary Meera Nayeemudeen revealed that the Food Policy and Security Committee was considering a proposal to introduce a digital database to gather data on essential food commodity supplies and their availability in the market and was expected to make a decision in this regard.
“There is a proposed digital database which has still not been completed. There is also a Food Policy and Security Committee, which will take up this matter,” he stated.
He explained that the proposed database was mainly intended for the purpose of collecting information on the importation of essential food commodity supplies and their availability in the market.
Responding to queries on how the database would be structured and those responsible for its maintenance, he said that such decisions were still too premature and that they would be made once steps had been taken to operationalise the database.
The establishment of the Food Policy and Security Committee was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on 10 December 2024, following a proposal submitted by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to establish a committee under the Presidential Secretariat.
The committee will comprise the secretary to the prime minister and relevant ministry secretaries and was established for the purpose of providing every citizen with their minimum food requirements in sufficient quantity and quality at an affordable price.
Accordingly, the primary objectives of the committee include the promotion of domestic production of all food items that can be produced locally, maintaining a reserve stock of essential food sufficient for at least three months, maintaining a comprehensive data system on existing food stocks in the country, and implementing effective programmes to enhance food security by ensuring efficient production, storage, distribution, and wholesale and retail marketing processes, with active participation from the private sector.
OSL take:
The overall economic expansion in the country has resulted in the increase in demand to digitize businesses and services. The Sri Lakan government’s focus on pushing a digitalization drive in the country and transforming Sri Lanka into an e-economy have all resulted in the expansion of business/investment opportunities in the ICT and digital infrastructure development sectors. The move by the Sri Lankan government to digitalize the country’s food imports database is indicative of the expanding business/investment opportunities in the ICT and digital infrastructure development sectors. The growth and profits recorded by local businesses currently engaged in these sectors are indicative of the lucrative nature of business/investment opportunities in the ICT and digital infrastructure development sectors. Foreign businesses/investors could therefore explore the emerging direct and indirect opportunities in the ICT and digital infrastructure development and related sectors while also looking at opportunities to expand operations through partnerships or joint ventures with local businesses. Given Sri Lanka’s target of becoming a hub in the South Asian region, the business/investment opportunities in the ICT and digital infrastructure development sectors will be on a constant growth and expansion path ensuring a steady flow of business for the businesses engaged in these sectors.
Article Code : | VBS/AT/20250122/Z_3 |