Promoting Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) in Sri Lanka through facilitating access to information [CI-SCP Trust Fund Project]

SCP practice can play an important role to change current unsustainable practices in Sri Lanka’s agriculture and food sector. Agriculture in Sri Lanka, utilizing 43% of the total land area of the country, is one of the key environmental concerns; having a tremendous impact on everything from climate change to soil deterioration. The lack of awareness sustainable produce among consumers, the lack of standards, limited certification systems at affordable prices and the lack of third party verification have so far hindered the switch to environmentally sustainable and healthy practices in the agriculture sector. Progress towards environmentally sustainable agri-food systems in Sri Lanka requires improving the methods for quantitative, integrated assessment, and promoting the use of these methods in different domains. But the shortage of data has restricted Sri Lanka in its analysis of a number of food-related challenges and to advance the currently available approaches and methods. The above project aims to develop a methodological framework to improve sustainability in agri food sector of Sri Lanka through improving accessibility to information. • Developing LCI databases for rice processing, tea and dairy • Developing certifiable green product criteria and a green product certification for a selected product category • Increase consumer awareness on sustainability issues, use of information and available green product certification As the first step of this project, NCPC has organized a two day Training of Trainer (ToT) programme on 26th and 27th June 2017 at Hotel Renuka. Selected 20 LCA practitioners in Sri Lanka were trained by international resource persons from Green Delta and Eco Invent and UN Environment. 20 participants have joined hands with NCPC in developing LCI database for agri food sector and a Green product criteria based on the data for a selected agri food product. Now, the life cycle inventory database establishing part is ongoing these months. For that, sample survey among rice processing, tea and diary industries is conducted to fill the information gap. 1. A national LCI database installed for agri-food products (rice processing, tea and dairy subsectors). 2. A certification scheme with green product criteria is available for a selected agri-food product category so that it can be replicated to other products. 3. Increased consumer awareness of sustainable consumption and certified sustainable product(s).