In the dry plains of Anuradhapura and the misty hills of Nuwara Eliya, a quiet revolution is under way. It’s not powered by tractors or warehouses—but by touch screens. Every day, more Sri Lankan farmers are trading guesswork for guidance, and tradition for transformation, thanks to WIDYA—a homegrown digital agriculture platform turning phones into powerful farming tools.
From struggles to smart solutions
For generations, Sri Lankan farmers have faced the same uphill battles: unpredictable rains, rising input costs, declining harvests, and unfair market prices. Many still rely on word-of-mouth advice or middlemen who cut into their profits.
But a growing number of them are discovering a better way—right at their fingertips.
WIDYAConnect, a cloud-based technology platform designed and developed in Sri Lanka, is a complete digital farming ecosystem. Built on over 14 years of research led by Western Sydney University, Australia, in collaboration with the University of Ruhuna and the University of Colombo School of Computing, it brings together science, technology, and the voices of thousands of farmers to create a smarter, more connected approach to agriculture.
What is WIDYA?
WIDYA isn’t just another app. It’s a platform built from the ground up to serve every stage of farming—from preparing the land to selling the harvest.
It offers real-time advice on crop health, pest control, and fertiliser use; localised weather forecasts so farmers can plan watering, harvesting, or spraying; a community space for farmers to share knowledge and get support; access to market prices and buyers, helping farmers get fair value; and data and insights for policy makers and agricultural institutions.
Through two major tools—the WIDYA Ruhuna Govinena mobile app and HarvestFlow online marketplace—farmers are not only growing better crops, but growing their confidence too.
An ecosystem, not just an app
WIDYA connects more than just farmers. It’s designed to bring together everyone in the food chain: extension officers deliver timely advice through the app; buyers source directly from verified producers; suppliers reach the right farmers with the right inputs; policymakers access real-time field data for smarter decisions; and researchers test innovations and monitor adoption. This approach turns agriculture into a connected, data-driven ecosystem—one that works for farmers and beyond.
Ready for the world
WIDYA is deeply local—available in Sinhala, Tamil, and English, and packed with information on over 450 crop varieties and 300 pests and diseases. But it’s also built for the future. Its modular, scalable design means it can grow across provinces, sectors, and even countries.
And it supports global goals too, such as zero hunger, climate action and responsible production and consumption.
In 2024, it even won Gold at the Ruhuna Invention and Innovation Exhibition, proving that homegrown tech can lead global change.
WIDYA shows what happens when tradition meets technology—and when farmers are trusted to lead change with the right tools in hand. From a mango grower in Anuradhapura to a school garden in Matara, it’s proving that digital farming isn’t just possible in Sri Lanka—it’s thriving.
With continued support, WIDYA can become the backbone of the nation’s food system and a model for the world.
