The Sri Lanka Veterinary Poultry Association on November 23 appointed Dr Athula Mahagamage as its new President.
The association also appointed Dr Vijitha Darmawardana as Secretary and Dr Neshma Kumudinie Liyanage as Treasurer.
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the membership for placing their confidence in me. This appointment is not simply a role, it is a responsibility to serve, uplift, and help modernize a critically important sector of Sri Lanka’s livestock industry. I also look forward to working collaboratively with the entire executive committee,” said Dr Mahagamage.
“I am sincerely grateful for this opportunity and remain committed to serving the association with integrity, professionalism, and a strong dedication to advancing our industry.”
Vision for the year ahead
According to Dr Mahagamage, the poultry sector plays a pivotal role in ensuring national food security, nutritional improvement, rural employment, and economic stability. Therefore, strengthening the veterinary and technical community is essential.
For the upcoming year, he said the association will place strong emphasis on:
- Enhancing competencies in modern poultry farming, meat processing, and further processing.
- Building capacity in sensor-based, data-driven decision-making systems in poultry production and feed milling.
- Reducing operational errors by strengthening technical audit capabilities among veterinarians in both private and public sectors.
- Promoting a culture of continuous learning and professional excellence.
- Developing collaborative programs with respected bodies such as: World’s Poultry Science Association – Sri Lanka Branch and Sri Lanka Veterinary Association. These partnerships will be instrumental in modernizing the industry, sharing global knowledge, and empowering the country’s veterinary professionals to meet emerging challenges.
A call for collaboration
“This journey cannot be achieved by leadership alone. I invite all veterinarians, poultry professionals, researchers, integrators, farmers, industry stakeholders, and academic partners to join us in shaping a stronger, more innovative, and internationally competitive poultry sector for Sri Lanka,” said Dr Mahagamage.
“Your engagement, expertise, and collective effort will determine the success of our shared mission.”