The Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Peradeniya, in partnership with Guizhou University, China, has launched the “China-Sri Lanka Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Green Plant Protection” (CSBR-GPP Lab). This collaborative initiative aims to advance research and academic development in sustainable agriculture, with a special focus on green plant protection technologies.
The CSBR-GPP Lab will spearhead research in key areas such as precision pesticide reduction using big data, biological control of insect pests, disease and weed management in tea cultivation, and risk monitoring to minimize pesticide residues. The lab’s primary objective is to establish an environmentally friendly, safe, and efficient system for green pest and disease control, particularly in tea plantations.
As part of the collaboration, the initiative will support undergraduate and postgraduate capacity building, including staff exchanges, short-term research training programs in China, and long-term postgraduate training opportunities in both countries. Notably, Guizhou University has announced 30 fully funded MSc and PhD scholarships exclusively for students from the University of Peradeniya for the 2025 intake.
A high-level delegation from Guizhou University Prof. Hao Gefei, Prof. Wu Zhibing, Dr. Huang Xiaotian, and Prof. Cheng Hongguang visited the University of Peradeniya on May 14, 2025. The visit included detailed discussions on the lab’s progress and preliminary plans for a joint international conference on Green Plant Protection scheduled for later this year.
The meetings were attended by key representatives from the University of Peradeniya, including Prof. B.C. Jayawardana (Dean, Faculty of Agriculture), Prof. S.A.C.N. Perera (Head, Department of Agricultural Biology), Prof. J.P. Eeswara (Head, Department of Crop Science), Prof. D.K.N.G. Pushpakumara (Director, Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture), Prof. B. Marambe (Director, Joint Lab), Prof. A.J. Mohotti (Principal Investigator), and Dr. W.H. Jayasinghe (Director, Agriculture Education Unit). The Chinese delegation also met with Prof. R.W. Pallegama, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, to formally announce the Chinese government’s approval of funding for the lab.
This landmark collaboration reflects the shared commitment of both universities to promote innovation in sustainable agriculture and strengthen academic ties between Sri Lanka and China under the Belt and Road Initiative.
