GOVERNANCE

As a Company Limited by Guarantee, a fifteen-member board of directors governs CGASL in accordance with the current Articles of Association. As per the legal status, CGASL operates as a non-profit entity to fulfil the understated primary objectives. Directors are assigned with specific areas of responsibilities under the designations of the Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Secretary, Assistant Treasurer, Immediate Past President and four committee chairpersons as per the Articles of Association in addition to their statutory duties and obligations.  The remaining board members were allocated specific responsibilities subsequently by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Articles of Association.

The Board of Directors consists of a team of passionate coconut growers with academic and professional qualifications in many relevant fields. The Board also counts significant amount of experience in hands on management and development of coconut plantations.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF CGASL

1. To foster, promote, and coordinate the activities and common interest of coconut growers in the country to achieve a robust and viable coconut industry to achieve food security and improve nutrition by promoting sustainable coconut production in Sri Lanka.
2. To improve the Coconut Planation Industry and improve the socioeconomic welfare of coconut growers and thereby encourage them to produce adequate nuts for local consumption and exports.
3. To encourage and motivate coconut growers to increase productivity through improved farming practices that would mitigate climate change, be resilient to diseases and pests.
4. To encourage best agricultural practices that improve productivity whilst minimising carbon footprint.
5. To disseminate timely and relevant knowledge and information that is of value to coconut growers and other stakeholders.
6. To advocate on policy issues that will overcome inhibitors and facilitate growth of the industry.
7. To assist the coconut growers in obtaining quality planting material, financial resources, and other agricultural inputs.
8. To ensure that the coconut growers have a sustainable farm gate price.
9. To facilitate activities for Human Resource capacity building and technology transfer.
10. To initiate and encourage coconut grower community activities

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

1. BOARD-APPOINTED COMMITTEES

Above committees with specialised knowledge in the relevant subjects, spearhead all activities in line with an agreed operational plan. Those committees listed below report to the Board of Directors and work closely with Branch committees and the Secretariat.

1. Advocacy and stakeholder management committee
2. Membership development committee
3. Technology development committee
4. Resource development and fundraising committee
5. Finance committee
6. Committee for modernisation, digitalisation, and liberalisation of the coconut industry
7. Communication committee

2. BRANCH COMMITTEES

CGASL at present has seven branch committees covering regions of Gampaha, Southern, Chilaw/Puttalam, Kurunegala, Kuliyapitiya, Eastern and Northern

Chairpersons and the committees provide leadership to the members in respective areas. Branch committees work closely with the Board of Directors, committees and the secretariat to provide guidance and services to the membership.

Branch committees operate as per by-laws and operational guidelines issued by the Board of Directors in line with the Articles of Association.

3. CGASL SECRETARIAT

A full-time secretariat was established in July 2023 at the National Chamber of Commerce with the objective of meeting all expectations of the members and other stakeholders in a sustainable manner. Currently the secretariat operates during all working days from 9 am to 5 pm with a full time Executive Officer.

ACCREDITATIONS AND REPRESENTATIONS

CGASL is an Accredited member of the International Coconut Community (ICC). The International Coconut Community is a UNESCAP intergovernmental organization of coconut producing countries organized in 1969 under the aegis of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP).

The Association works closely with the Ministry of Plantations, Coconut Cultivation Board and has formal representations in the Coconut Research Institute and National Institute of Plantation Management .

CGASL also make representations in the Wages Board, Planters Association, National Chamber of Commerce and National Agri Business Council.

MEMBERSHIP

The association currently has a membership of more than 800 coconut plantation owners from all parts of the country, representing more than 10% of the total extent of the coconut plantations in Sri Lanka. Most of the members act as opinion leaders due to their knowledge and experience in coconut planting and related areas.

The Association’s duties include providing coconut growers with the necessary advice and guidance in times of need. The foundation and forefront of operations at CGASL is UNITY among the coconut plantation community.