Sri Lanka has experienced slow progress in job creation, poverty reduction, and food insecurity, especially in rural areas. Economic challenges are further compounded by climate change risks and vulnerability to global shocks. At the same time, Sri Lanka has immense potential in agriculture and agro-processing, critical needs for infrastructure development, and a large scope for accelerated growth in high-value services – which can all contribute to inclusive economic transformation, greater food systems resilience, and better livelihoods.
Following recent elections, there is an elevated demand for pro-poor economic reforms, new investment strategies, and policies that are both financially and environmentally more sustainable. Yet evidence-based policy decision-making is confronted with critical knowledge and data gaps.
To address these gaps and establish a baseline for policy-relevant research on diverse issues, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) are working with local and international partner organizations to implement a representative, multi-topic household survey. This webinar will introduce the BRIGHT Sri Lanka survey and discuss how it and other research tools can inform critical policy questions.
Opening and Closing Remarks
- Jean Balié, Director, CGIAR Poverty Reduction, Livelihoods, and Jobs Impact Area Platform
BRIGHT Sri Lanka Survey Presentation
- Derek Headey, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
- Joanna van Asselt, Associate Research Fellow, Development Strategy and Governance Unit, IFPRI
Expert Panel Discussion
- Nisha Arunatilake, Director of Research, Sri Lanka Institute for Policy Studies
- Dilini Hemachandra, Senior Lecturer, Department of Agricultural Economics and Business Management, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
- Gerard Rebello, Deputy Country Director, World Food Programme Sri Lanka
- Nandini Krishnan, Lead Economist, Poverty and Equity Global Practice, South Asia Region, World Bank
- Renuka Silva, Professor, Department of Applied Nutrition, Wayamba University, Sri Lanka
Chair and Moderator
- Olivier Ecker, Senior Research Fellow, Foresight and Policy Modeling Unit, IFPRI