Exposure visits to Central Province under the ILO LEED+ Project

An exposure visit had been organized and conducted with the funding of ILO’s LEED+ Project under the Inter Province Business Exchange Programme from 22^nd to 25^th of Sept 2022 (covering 3 full days). The objective of the Project is to “improve and sustain the business led by the women or PwDs of the Northern Province and develop them to promote for the international export marketing by promoting the digital road mapping practice among them”. Within the framework of the project, exposure visits are planned to conduct and set a thematic area which is; to get technical exposure and knowledge related to the successful industries existing in Central Province. The target group of the exposure visit is Staff from the Department of Industries and selected beneficiaries under the ILO LEED+ Project.

During the field visit, Regional Economic Development Agency (REDA) has organized a knowledge sharing session with Department of Industries staff and briefed about their operation and organizational structure in Central Province. The REDA is an Agency working under the purview of the Central Provincial Council. A meeting was organized with the Regional Economic Development Agency (REDA) in order to share about their successful operation and their activities in current situation. The Chairmen, Director of the REDA and Director of the Department of Industries – Central Province paid their visits to the meeting and shared their experiences where a power point presentation on REDA establishment and their operation had been done by a staff who is working in REDA.

The following focus area was covered during this exposure visit;

Knowledge sharing session with Regional Economic Development Agency (REDA)
Visited Product oriented Micro and small level industries
– Brassware work
– Lather based production industry
– Batik production center and water treatment process
– Coconut shell production enterprise
Visited Pallekala industrial estate Kandy (Medium enterprises) where following production units were observed
– Food processing on Pappaya de-hydration for the export marketing and appropriate packaging technology
– S.P.R Packaging Industries where observed makers of the corrugated cartons, partitions & die cut boxes
– Kandy Plastic (PVT) Ltd where observed printed Polytheen manufacturing methods and their techniques (for example: six colour printing method)
Visited handloom center running under the textile department
Visited SERENE Gem Jewellery works (One of the leading & well-established enterprise in Central Province

The source of funds is under the ILO LEED+ project where ILO has signed an agreement with the Department of Industries for supporting MSMEs in Northern Province to uplift their income generation activity.

Knowledge sharing session with Regional Economic Development Agency (REDA)

Staff & SMEs visited Micro and small level industries on Brassware work & Lather based production industry

Water treatment process in Batik production center and Coconut shell production

S.P.R Packaging Industries for corrugated cartons, partitions & die cut boxes & visited Kandy Plastic (PVT) Ltd for Polytheen manufacturing methods and its techniques