Dr. T.A. Dharmaratne
Senior Economist & Policy Research Lead Qualifications: PhD in Development Economics (Huazhong University of Science and Technology) | MA in Development Studies (Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands) | BA (Hons) in Economics
Dr. T.A. Dharmaratne is a distinguished senior economist with over 30 years of high-level expertise in socio-economic research, political economy, and public policy impact evaluation. His scholarly and consulting work focuses on the qualitative evaluation of government interventions within agrarian economies, specializing in agricultural market price stabilization, fertilizer and seed subsidy frameworks, and smallholder poverty dynamics.
Core Methodological & Technical Toolkit
Quasi-Experimental Econometrics: Advanced expertise in Difference-in-Differences (DID) estimation, Propensity Score Matching (PSM), and panel data modeling for counterfactual impact evaluation.
Market & Price Modeling: Applied micro-econometric modeling of agricultural price shocks, commodity supply chains, and market price transmission.
Survey & Data Architecture: Designing and overseeing national-scale, multi-stage socio-economic field surveys, household vulnerability index construction, and baseline evaluation frameworks.
Key Research Work & Academic Contributions
Agricultural Statistics & Global Policy Conferences: Selected research contributor at the 10th International Conference on Agricultural Statistics (ICAS-X 2026), presenting empirical methodologies on agricultural data modeling and policy evaluation.
Subsidy & Fiscal Impact Evaluations: Primary author of empirical studies evaluating the fiscal burden, market distortions, and socio-economic outcomes of state fertilizer and food subsidy programs.
Agrarian Transformation & Poverty Studies: Extensive published research examining structural changes in rural labor, smallholder technology adoption, and public anti-poverty agrarian interventions.
Professional Experience & Leadership
Principal Investigator (PI) & Advisory Lead: Has served as Principal Investigator on large-scale socio-economic evaluations, directing multi-disciplinary teams of data collectors, field enumerators, and statisticians.
Policy Advisory to Ministries & Public Bodies: Regularly advises agricultural ministries, national planning commissions, and state development agencies on agricultural market regulation, food emergency reserves, and trade policies.
International Development & Grant Collaboration: Extensive experience coordinating multi-country research initiatives with international development organizations, academic research institutes, and European grant bodies.
Dr. N.P.G. Samantha
Senior Econometrician & Trade Specialist Qualifications: PhD in Economics (Huazhong University of Science and Technology) | M.Phil. in Agricultural Economics | BSc in Agriculture (Hons)
Dr. N.P.G. Samantha is a senior quantitative economist with over two decades of expertise in macro-econometric modeling, international trade policy, and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) impact analysis within the primary production and agribusiness sectors. His empirical work focuses on evaluating complex, multi-variable economic systems, analyzing the fiscal load of state subsidy programs, and modeling macroeconomic shocks across national food security frameworks.
Core Methodological & Technical Toolkit
Macro-Econometric Modeling & Forecasting: Time-series econometrics, vector autoregression (VAR), and panel data modeling for national commodity market forecasting.
Trade Policy & FDI Impact Analysis: Quantitative evaluation of trade liberalization, tariff adjustments, import-export restrictions, and foreign capital flows in primary agriculture.
Index Construction & Fiscal Analytics: Formulation of multi-indicator national food security indices and quantitative assessment of state subsidy burdens.
Key Research Work & Academic Contributions
National Food Security Indexing: Primary author and developer of empirical index frameworks measuring national food system stability, reserve sufficiency, and structural vulnerabilities.
Trade & Subsidy Policy Evaluations: Conducted extensive econometric research assessing the domestic market effects of agricultural tariffs, input subsidy allocations, and foreign investment dynamics.
Scholarly & Technical Publications: Author of numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, technical policy briefs, and statistical monographs for economic research councils and international policy institutions.
Professional Experience & Policy Advisory
Presidential Advisory Committees: Served as an expert advisor on high-level state committees tasked with formulating national food security indicators and strategic grain reserve policy frameworks.
Macroeconomic Planning & Analytics: Consulted for national planning agencies, central research institutes, and economic development councils on trade policy and agricultural taxation.
Multi-Country Data Strategy: Directs complex statistical projects processing multi-region cross-sectional and panel datasets for public sector clients and international research consortiums.
Mr. I.V. Kuruppu
Agribusiness & Econometric Analyst Qualifications: M.Phil. in Agribusiness Management | Master of Business Administration (MBA) | BSc in Agriculture (Hons)
Mr. I.V. Kuruppu is an experienced agribusiness strategist and quantitative analyst specializing in agricultural supply chain optimization, rural technology adoption, and climate-smart agricultural economics. His research addresses the economic viability of smallholder farming systems, circular bioeconomy transitions, post-harvest value addition, and commercialization strategies under variable climate regimes.
Core Methodological & Technical Toolkit
Technology Adoption & Choice Modeling: Quantitative econometrics modeling farmer decision-making, technology adoption rates, and adoption barriers for modern agrarian inputs.
Supply Chain & Financial Viability Analysis: End-to-end agri-food value chain evaluation, gross margin analysis, cost-benefit modeling, and post-harvest loss reduction.
Survey Architecture & Mixed Methods: Designing and managing primary field surveys, multi-stakeholder interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), and smallholder socio-economic baselines.
Key Research Work & Academic Contributions
Climate-Smart Technology Adoption: Developed econometric models measuring smallholder adoption dynamics and financial returns on climate-resilient farming techniques and modern irrigation systems.
Smallholder Market Integration Studies: Author of empirical assessments on contract farming models, rural producer organizations, and market access barriers for small-scale agribusinesses.
Resource Optimization & Bioeconomy: Research focused on circular bioeconomy transitions, resource-use efficiency, and sustainable agricultural intensification.
Professional Experience & Major Projects
Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP): Served as a key research analyst conducting socio-economic baselines, evaluating irrigation infrastructure investments, and measuring adaptive capacity among agricultural communities.
World Food Programme (WFP) Field Evaluations: Conducted rigorous field assessments evaluating food security interventions, emergency agricultural support, and community asset creation programs.
Agribusiness Advisory & Development: Provides data-driven decision-support models for international development organizations, public agricultural agencies, and private agribusiness enterprises across targeted agricultural regions.
Pujitha De Mel
Senior Media Strategist & Community Engagement Lead Qualifications: M.A. in Performing Arts (Dramatics) (Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India) | B.A. (Hons) in Performing Arts (Northbrook College, UK) | B.A. in Social Sciences (Open University of Sri Lanka) | Diploma in Mass Communication (Open University of Sri Lanka)
Pujitha De Mel is a senior academic, applied theatre director, and media practitioner with over two decades of expertise in strategic communication, community development, and creative practice-as-research. His scholarly and consulting work bridges media production, applied theatre, and social change, with specialized experience in using Forum Theatre, edutainment, and documentary filmmaking to drive civic engagement, youth empowerment, gender equity, and public health education within agrarian and industrial communities. His prior leadership of the Publication & Information Division at the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute (HARTI) provides direct institutional alignment with national agricultural research dissemination and policy communication frameworks.
Core Methodological & Technical Toolkit
Applied Theatre & Participatory Action Research: Advanced expertise in Forum Theatre, Theatre of the Oppressed, and Theatre for Health Education (THE) as tools for community dialogue, subaltern empowerment, and conflict transformation.
Media Production & Strategic Communication: End-to-end documentary filmmaking, television direction, advertising campaign design, and institutional publication management for research dissemination and public awareness.
Edutainment & Creative Pedagogy: Designing arts-based learning interventions that integrate theatre games, puppetry, and rhythm-based education for youth, children with special needs, and adult learner communities.
Community Wellbeing & Social Cohesion Facilitation: Corporate and industrial wellbeing program design, gender-based violence (SGBV) awareness interventions, and peace education through art and literature.
Research Communication & Knowledge Translation: Translating complex socio-economic and agrarian research into accessible public information products, policy briefs, and mass media outputs for diverse stakeholder audiences.
Key Research Work & Academic Contributions
Theatre for Social Change & Gender Equity: Creator and director of Beat the Beast, an applied theatre intervention using adapted fairy tales to expose sexual harassment and empower communities, developed under UN project frameworks and presented at the University of Colombo International Research Symposium (2025).
Forum Theatre for Civic Engagement & Subaltern Empowerment: Chief Coordinator and main resource person for Nirprabu (Subalterns), a USAID-funded Forum Theatre project facilitating democratic dialogue and social development among undergraduates and rural communities.
Applied Theatre for Industrial Wellbeing: Principal researcher and director of Repairing the Hearts and Minds of Garment Workers Through Applied Theatre (2023), an arts-based intervention examining creative practice as a mechanism for trauma recovery and wellbeing in industrial labour contexts.
Theatre for Health Education (THE) & Puppetry as Social Medium: Developer of The Giant Puppet as an Interventionist in Theatre for Health Education (2021), exploring artistic and media values for national health development in digital contexts; author of scholarly work on puppetry as a potential medium in conflict transformation and peace education.
Edutainment & Children's Theatre: Extensive research on edutainment through stage drama, including national children's theatre productions and the adaptation of canonical works (e.g., Asinamali, Mother Courage) for Sri Lankan audiences, with publications in academic journals and commissioned translations.
Professional Experience & Leadership
Head of Department & Academic Leadership: Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Performing Arts, Sri Palee Campus, University of Colombo; former Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) Coordinator, overseeing curriculum development, student counselling, and institutional accreditation processes.
Research Dissemination & Agrarian Communication Leadership: Served as Head of the Publication & Information Division at the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute (HARTI/ARTI), managing institutional publications, research dissemination architectures, and agrarian public information projects for national policy audiences.
International Development & NGO Consultancy: Chief Coordinator for USAID Forum Theatre initiatives; UNICEF Consultant and Resource Person for social cohesion and child protection communication projects; Resource Person for PLAN Sri Lanka (documentary scriptwriting and media literacy) and Room to Read (children's book writing and visualization workshops).
Creative Direction & Media Industry Leadership: Creative Director at Ranjith Jayasooriya Associates Advertising and Senior Writer at Q&E Advertising and Minds Bozell (Pvt) Ltd, designing print and electronic media communications for major commercial and banking clients including BOC, NSB, Commercial Bank, SLT, and Sathosa.
International Representation & Cultural Diplomacy: Sri Lankan representative at international festivals and academic programs across Brazil, Australia, India, South Africa, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Bangladesh, and India, including the World Drama Festival (ASSITEJ) and SAARC Drama Festival.
Mahinda Jayasundara
Senior Programme Management & Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist
Qualifications: MSc in Disaster Management, University of Peradeniya | BA in Defence Studies, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University
Mr. Mahinda Jayasundara is a senior programme management and disaster risk reduction specialist with over 35 years of professional experience, including more than 15 years in international development, programme management, monitoring and evaluation, humanitarian response and community resilience in Sri Lanka.
He has extensive experience in the design, implementation and monitoring of development and resilience programmes, including EU-supported projects in WASH, sustainable water, sanitation, health, hygiene and disaster risk mitigation. His work has involved coordination with government institutions, international NGOs, donors, development partners and community organisations.
Mahinda combines strong field-level implementation experience with expertise in programme planning, monitoring and evaluation, budget and resource management, stakeholder coordination, capacity building and emergency preparedness. His earlier career as a Captain in the Sri Lanka Army further strengthened his leadership, operational planning, risk management and decision-making capabilities.
Areas of Expertise
Programme and Project Management
Disaster Risk Reduction & Community Resilience
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning
WASH and Community Development
Humanitarian Response & Recovery
Emergency Preparedness and Risk Management
Stakeholder and Government Coordination
Capacity Building and Training
Selected Professional Experience
Programme Manager – Solidaridad Network Asia
Led EU-supported development and resilience programmes, including the DeREC project and the EU-IRD WASH-SOLI programme across several districts of Sri Lanka. Responsibilities included programme implementation, stakeholder coordination, monitoring, reporting, budgeting, procurement, human resource management and capacity building.
Senior Appraisal, Monitoring & Evaluation Officer – ACTED Sri Lanka
Supported programme assessments, monitoring and evaluation, baseline data collection, implementing-partner monitoring, donor reporting, database management and documentation of lessons learned.
Monitoring Officer – Sri Lanka Red Cross Society
Worked across project monitoring, post-flood and post-conflict recovery, disaster risk reduction, emergency response and relief operations, including needs assessments, community mobilisation and coordination with government authorities and other stakeholders.
Disaster Risk Reduction Consultant
Developed emergency preparedness and resilience plans for community and local government institutions and contributed to national disaster risk reduction initiatives.
Captain – Sri Lanka Army
Led operational teams and more than 150 personnel, developing extensive experience in leadership, planning, administration, human resource management and decision-making in complex operating environments.
