Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2021-03-29

Implementation of a Research Project on the use of Nitrogen based Chemical Fertilizer

Taking into consideration the environmental pollution caused due to the mismanagement of chemical fertilizer (Nitrogen in particular) in the South Asian region, it has been planned to implement a multitask research proposal based on South Asian region on the use of nitrogen based fertilizers in different farming systems led by the United Nation Environmental Programme (UNEP) in association with the International Nitrogen Management Systems (INMS). Under this project, it has been scheduled to carry out the activities such as collecting data on nitrogen losses and greenhouse gas emission from selected farming systems (vegetables-Nuwara-eliya and Kalpitiya), (Rice - Anuradhapura) making the farmers aware on such things, identifying atmospheric pollution on lower plant diversity of montane forests and educating farming communities and stakeholders for creating best nitrogen management systems to minimize Nitrogen losses, within a period of 05 years. Accordingly, the proposal made by the Minister of Education to enter into a Collaboration Agreement among the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI), Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF) and South Asian Nitrogen Hub (SANH), was approved by the Cabinet.