YFCA Webinar No 01
Food Production and Climate Action
Do you know about Neglected & Underutilized crops (NUCs) ? 👀
How NUCs can be used to address food & nutrition security in the face of climate change ? 🤔
Round table discussion on
Future smart crops :
Potential of neglected & Underutilized crops to improve climate resilience 🙌
This is your opportunity to join hands with the Sri Lankan youth approach to climate action in parallel with the COP26 UN climate summit. ♥️
#COP26 #ProtectOurPlanet
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Learn more about NUCs
Potential of neglected and underutilized crops (NUCs) to improve climate resilience and to promote dietary diversity in communities
Click below link
The Role of Neglected and Underutilised Crops (NUCs) in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
Dr. H.I.U. Caldera – Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo
Click below link
Role of Plant Genetic Resources Centre in conservation and utilization of Underutilized food crops
Samanthi K Wasala, Additional Director General(Research), Department of Agriculture, Sri Lanka
Click below link
Tentative agenda for the event
Neglected and underutilized crops (NUCs) to improve climate resilience and to promote dietary diversity in communities: Virtual round table discussion
With the COP26 (https://ukcop26.org) UN Climate Summit taking place in November 2021, this is a crucial moment where adequate and immediate action is needed to face the climate emergency. In line with COP26, we organized a series of activities and the first would feature a virtual round table discussion on “Potential of neglected and underutilized crops (NUCs) to improve climate resilience and to promote dietary diversity in communities”. This discussion examines how we can invest and what needs to be investigated to enhance commercial and nutritional potential of NUCs for food and nutritional security and climate resilience of local agriculture production systems. Please find the tentative agenda for the event given below.
Date and venue: 29 th of September 2021, 9.00 a.m. onwards, Virtual via Zoom
9.00 - 9.05 a.m. Goal of the discussion
9.05 - 9.25 a.m. Future smart food: Strategies for mainstreaming NUCs and research needs
Professor Kadambot Siddique
AM CitWA FTSE FAIA FNAAS FISPP FAAS
Hackett Professor of Agriculture Chair and Director
UN FAO Special Ambassador for the International Year of Pulses 2016
9.25 - 9.40 a.m. National policy and the incentive structures in place for NUCs prioritizing and enhanced production
Dr. Ajantha de Silva (PhD),
Director General of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture
9.40 - 9.45 a.m. Farmers perspective: Why we grow NUCs
9.45 - 10.00 a.m. National programs for enhanced NUC production: Lessons learned
Dr. W.L.G. Samarasinghe (PhD),
Addl. Secretary (Agriculture Technology), Ministry of Agriculture
10.00 - 10.10 a.m. NUCs Research highlights
10.10 - 10.25 a.m. Harnessing potential of NUCs for enhanced nutrition profile of the nation
Professor W.M.T. Madhujith,
The Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Peradeniya,
Professor and Department Chair, Department of Food Science and
Technology Faculty of Agriculture University of Peradeniya
10.25 - 10.30 a.m. Consumer perspective: Why we consume/not consume NUCs
10.30 - 10.45 a.m. Industrial potential of NUCs, why are these underutilized in economic terms? Opportunities for Industrial-supported production systems and value chains
Mr. Randeewa Malalasooriya,
Director / CEO - CBL Natural Foods Cluster, Ceylon Biscuits Limited
10.45 - 11.00 a.m. Under-utilized Crops & Climate Smart Dry Zone Agriculture
Mr. Sampath Abeyrathna,
Technical Specialist – Climate Smart Agriculture, UNDP Sri Lanka
11.00 - 11.15 a.m. Final remarks
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Thank you.
Best regards
Chandima Ariyarathna (PhD), (Program Coordinator)
Dept. of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Q&A From the Webinar
Answers from
Click below to download the presentation and research papers provided by
Professor Kadambot H.M Siddique
Answers from
Dulakshi to Mr. Randeewa:
Could you brief on the crops that are of immediate interest to the industry?
With regards to us, we are working on Kollu, Moringa, Kohila and various other seeds and fruit varatties. It depends on possible use and possible replacement of existing products. Ex: working on kohla as a meat repalmence since kohila has the same texture like meat to absorb spices. These are for mainstream products to put even into the export market.