Fourth season of CIC ‘Shoora Goviya’ underway

The fourth season of the award-winning CIC ‘Shoora Goviya’ program is currently underway and all preparations are in place to recognise the best young farmers in the country. The competition is an initiative by CIC ‘Humanity’ to further encourage the younger generation to commit to farming and ensure the future development and progress of Sri Lankan agriculture.

In addition to the sponsorship of CIC Agri Businesses, the Department of Agriculture, the Agriculture Faculty of the University of Peradeniya, the Sri Lanka Tea Research Institute, the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority, the Tea Commissioner’s Office of the Sri Lanka Tea Board, the All Ceylon Small Tea Planters’ Association, the Sri Lanka Tea Factory Owners’ Association, the Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka, the Coconut Cultivation Board, the Coconut Development Authority and the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Wayamba-Makandura will be contributing to the program through the judging panel.   The 2012-2013 competition will choose the ‘Shoora Goviya’ among famers occupied in paddy farming, fruit and vegetable cultivation and livestock husbandry, while competitions will also be conducted for the best young entrepreneur in Small Holder Sector – tea as well as best young entrepreneur in Small Holder Sector – coconut.    From the thousands of applications received from young men and women engaged in farming across the nation, contestants were chosen for the second round on a provincial basis. Chosen by an esteemed panel of experts, participants will compete from the third round onwards in their respective provincial teams. Eight farmers who are winners from the past three seasons and members of the ‘Shoora Goviya’ front and eight popular artistes will lead and advice the teams as mentors.       The teams will compete under the guidance of the following ‘Shoora Goviya’ alumni and celebrities: Thavaraaza Manoranjan and Nirosha Virajini for the Northern Province, A. Subeindran and K. Sujeewa for the Eastern Province, Randunu Seneviratne and Sriyantha Mendis for the North Central Province, Jude Sherideen and Gayantha Wijeratne for the North Western Province, N.C. Malwana and Nilmini Tennekoon for the Central Province, Nihal Subasinghe and Gayan Wickremasinghe for the Uva Province, Priyantha Weeraratne and Suraj Mapa for the Southern Province, and Lalinda Fernando and Sanath K. Wimalasiri for the Western Province. As with the past three seasons, the winners of the fourth season of CIC ‘Shoora Goviya’ will be awarded international scholarships as well as motor vehicles and monetary rewards. The competition is conducted under the complete sponsorship of CIC Agri Businesses, with electronic media sponsorship provided by TV Derana, Neth FM and Lakhanda Radio.  The new and improved CIC ‘Shoora Goviya’ program will be telecast on TV Derana every Wednesday at 9:45 p.m., while hourly updates will be broadcast on Neth FM and Lakhanda Radio.