The Data Validation Workshop for the Food and Agriculture Thematic Group was successfully conducted in a virtual format, bringing together key stakeholders from relevant institutions.

The Data Validation Workshop for the Food and Agriculture Thematic Group was successfully conducted yesterday in a virtual format, bringing together key stakeholders from relevant institutions. The session focused on reviewing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators related to food security, agricultural productivity, food loss and other critical areas within the sector.

The primary objective of the workshop was to assess the current status of data availability, identify existing gaps and inconsistencies in SDG reporting and highlight priority areas requiring improvement. Participants engaged in constructive discussions on strengthening the overall SDG monitoring and reporting framework, including the potential introduction of additional indicators where necessary.

Key discussion points and recommendations included the identification of proxy and supplementary indicators to better reflect sectoral progress where direct data is limited or unavailable, as well as the exploration of ongoing agriculture sector projects and programs such as the Agriculture Sector Modernization Project (ASMP) to derive relevant indicators for monitoring agricultural improvements. Participants also emphasized the need for additional indicators capturing animal health and biosecurity aspects, recognizing their influence on food security (SDG 2) and human health (SDG 3). Furthermore, discussions highlighted the importance of incorporating indicators related to agricultural insurance and subsidies, along with identifying other areas requiring improved data coverage, noting that several additional aspects were deliberated during the session.

Overall, the workshop provided a valuable platform for collaborative dialogue and technical validation, contributing to more robust and comprehensive SDG reporting in the food and agriculture sector. The session was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, Department of Animal Production and Health, Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Development, Department of Export Agriculture, National Institute of Post -Harvest Management and the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka. The representative of the Department of Census and Statistics also attended as an observer to provide technical assistance in validating the data.