Local Agricultural Innovation I Pro-poor Growth Story

Local agricultural innovation in a time of major food instability

Ellawala Horticulture (EH) is Sri Lanka’s first agribusiness to venture into commercial cultivation of the TJC mango variety using new technology and methods. It is also a leading exporter of processed foods, including a line of preserved organic produce sold under the brand Ella’s Organic. In the face of increasing demand from its existing customer base, EH required a sustainable sourcing model for certified organic produce. The business devised a model to promote a mix of short-, medium- and long- term crops while also sharing information on organic farming with farmers.

MDF supported the business to develop a backyard farming cluster comprising the farming households surrounding the EH mango plantation. The EH business model promoted a mix of crops that served the dual purpose of being suitable for EH’s purposes while also contributing to farming household food security. MDF had the opportunity to speak to one of the partner’s backyard farmers to discuss her experience with the home gardening program and how it supported her to bring economic value as the leading female member of her household.