TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS

In Sri Lanka, mobilization of tea producers for Rainforest Alliance (RA) Sustainable Agriculture Citification Programme was started in 2009 and awarded certificate for tea producers. Alliance for Sustainable Landscapes Management (ASLM) is acting as the Coordinator of Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Programme in Sri Lanka Since 2012. ASLM is responsible for training of people involved in tea industry on RA Sustainable Agriculture Standard and provide other necessary supports when necessary and also coordinate the certification process. One of the key task is training of Tea Small Holders (TSH) to go for RA certification. In addition coordinate with already certified farms. As of to date 164 large plantations managed by RPCs, 11 smallholder tea factories and 23092 tea smallholders have been certified by RA which consists of 77,993,106Kgs of made tea and about 80,000 hectares of land (of which 45,000 hectares tea). The certified 23,092 smallholders have been trained on sustainable agriculture and in addition 19 trainers and 4,974 tea smallholders have been trained under the UNEP-GEF project. About 130 tea smallholders are being trained under the Rural Entrepreneur Academy in which the smallholders who successfully complete the training module and practical implementation of best practices will be awarded with National Vocational Qualification by Sabaragamuwa University.