The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) and Janathakshan GTE Ltd., the lead implementing partner of the GEF-07 Project, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the EDB Head Office, formalizing a strategic collaboration related to biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management, and climate-resilient livelihoods.The MoU was signed by Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the EDB, and Dr. Janaka Hemathilaka, CEO/Executive Director of Janathakshan GTE Ltd., in the presence of senior officials of the EDB.

The GEF-07 Project, formally titled "Partnerships and Innovative Financing to Mainstream Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Management in the Wet Climatic Zone of Sri Lanka," is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Environment and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The project is implemented across six districts in the wet zone Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Ratnapura, Kegalle, and Nuwara Eliya with the overarching goals of biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management, and the improvement of rural livelihoods.

Under the MoU, both parties have agreed to collaborate across several key areas including the facilitation of market linkages between project-supported producer groups and registered exporters, support for participation in trade fairs and EDB export promotion programmes and guidance on compliance with export standards. The collaboration will further extend to pursuing Geographical Indication (GI) certification for high-value products such as Kithul and Pepper, and the establishment of cluster-level certification frameworks for producer Societies.

The MoU encompasses six target sectors: Organic and Artisanal Tea, Kithul Products, Pepper and Pepper Oil, Arecanut and Kolapath eco-friendly tableware, Cardamom, and Jackfruit. Collaborative activities within these sectors will include value addition, quality improvement, hygienic production practices, and the provision of market intelligence to facilitate access to priority export destinations including Japan, the European Union, and the United States of America.

The partnership is expected to yield significant outcomes for the rural farming communities of the wet zone, including the strengthening of export-oriented agroforestry and tea value chains, enhanced export readiness among smallholder producers, and the promotion of biodiversity-friendly and climate-resilient production systems. Through this MoU, both institutions reaffirm their commitment to fostering sustainable, inclusive economic growth while safeguarding Sri Lanka's rich natural heritage.