- To adopt and localise regionally harmonised ANTAM Standard test Codes for SL’s agri. machinery
The Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), through its Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanisation (CSAM), signed a landmark Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) at the ‘Thailand International Agricultural Machinery Exhibition’, held at the China International Agricultural Machinery Exhibition Asia 2025 on 23 July in Bangkok.
Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Thailand and the Permanent Representative to the UNESCAP, Wijayanthi Edirisinghe, witnessed the signing of the MoA. The Director General of the SLSI, Siddhika G. Senaratne, signed the MoA on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, and the Director of the Strategy and Programme Management Division of the UNESCAP, Adnan Aliani signed.
Through this agreement, the SLSI and UNESCAP-CSAM will jointly lead the process of adopting and localising regionally harmonised Asian and Pacific Network for Testing of Agricultural Machinery (ANTAM) Standard Codes test codes for agricultural machinery in Sri Lanka. By institutionalising these test codes, the MoA aims to enhance the safety, quality, and efficiency of agricultural machinery in the country. It supports Sri Lanka’s broader agenda for agricultural modernisation, digital transformation, and environmental sustainability. The initiative will ultimately benefit Sri Lankan farmers through improved machinery performance, trade facilitation, and safer working conditions.
Edirisinghe emphasised the critical role of partnerships in advancing food security, agricultural productivity, and rural livelihoods. Senaratne emphasised that this partnership, established under the framework of the ANTAM, marks a milestone in Sri Lanka’s efforts to strengthen its agricultural standards-related system. The Vice President of the Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers and Suppliers Association of Sri Lanka, Chaminda Sanjaya Kumara Nishankage highlighted the role and engagement of the private sector in supporting CSAM initiatives.