Wayamba University of Sri Lanka conferred Plantation Management Bachelor’s degrees on 16 graduates for the first time at a convocation held recently. This is considered to be a significant development in tertiary education by a national university in the country which offers Plantation Management as an external undergraduate degree course, plantation industry officials said.

The programme of study recognizes the need for plantation management to be scientifically trained in an industry which is important to the local economy, the said. Started jointly by the Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management of Wayamba University and the National Institute of Plantation Management, the course was introduced to develop skills and train planters and executives from the plantation sector in advanced plantation, crop production, technology and management. Course subjects range from agronomy, farm management, business skills, personnel management and accounting.

The officials said the Regional Plantation Companies and the University are confident that the degree will achieve its goal of generating a cadre of professionals geared to propel plantation management to the next level.