Regional Agriculture Research & Development Center (RARDC)-Bandarawela

The RARDC, Bandarawela was founded in 1972 under the purview of HORDI to cater the needs of the farming community in UCIZ. It is located at 1,400 m above mean sea level in the Up-Country Intermediate Zone and functions as the main Center responsible for identification/generation of appropriate technologies to increase the yield and quality of food crops cultivated, especially, in the Upper Uva region (Badulla District) and Balangoda segment of Sabaragamuwa province. Its mandated area covers IU2, IM2, IM3, IL2 and WM3 agro ecological regions. Though there is a vast crop diversity withing the mandated area, the main crops handled by the Center are Bean, Tomato, Cabbage, Potato and other exotic vegetables and flowers. Since the inception of protected agriculture industry in late 90’s in UCIZ, the Centre initiated research works related to protected agriculture. Research activities carrying out at RARDC, Bandarawela are focused on all important agricultural disciplines as Plant Breeding, Plant Protection, Soil and plant nutrient management, Agronomy and Plant Biotechnology. Other than research activities, the Centre involves in technology transfer and agricultural development activities including farmer training, providing soil test-based fertilizer recommendations, solving farmer problems, production of breeder seeds and planting materials, etc.