Sri Lanka Council for Agricultural Research Policy (SLCARP) conducted an international training programme from March 24^th to 30^th, 2025 a collaborative initiative organized by the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation and the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute. More than 60 extension officers and policy makers attended this international training programme.

This specialized program was designed to strengthen Sri Lanka’s tropical agriculture through advanced training on three key commodities: coconut, rubber, and banana. The training sessions provided the participant with up-to-date knowledge on sustainable cultivation practices, innovations in agri-research, and practical applications tailored for local contexts.

The rubber (Hevea brasiliensis L.) lecture series engaged 19 participants, including Development Officers from the Ministry of Agriculture, Rubber Development Officers and Senior Officers from the Rubber Development Department, and Research Officers from the Rubber Research Institute and SLCARP. Variety selection, rubber transplanting and post-planting management, common pest and diseases and control techniques, tree bark necrosis and its control were the subject areas covered on 24^th and 25^th March 2025.

The coconut lecture series engaged 20 participants from the Ministry of Plantation, Coconut Development Authority, Coconut Cultivation Board, Coconut Research Institute, HARTI, and SLCARP. Coconut germplasm research and breeding technology, management of coconut cultivation and industry, pest control technology, coconut cultivation techniques for high yield, coconut planting models and coconut germplasm resource management were the subject areas covered on 26^th and 27^th March 2025.

Finally, the banana lecture series got 16 participants involved, including Assistant Directors of Agriculture, Development Officers from the Ministry of Agriculture, and researchers from the Department of Agriculture, Provincial Agriculture Departments, HARTI, and SLCARP. Environmental condition for banana cultivation and variety selection, banana planting and water management, and pest control in banana plantation were the subject areas covered on 28^th March 2025.

This multi-stakeholder engagement fostered cross-institutional dialogue and hands-on learning, supporting the development of resilient, innovative, and sustainable tropical agriculture systems in Sri Lanka.