Soil Calibration Journey – Kurunegala District

Date: 16th September 2025
Location: Barandana, Kurunegala – 7°28’44.8”N 80°26’40.5”E

On 16th September 2025, the Biogenic Soil Sense Field Scanning Team conducted calibration activities in Kurunegala District, an area recognized as one of Sri Lanka’s most agriculturally diverse and economically important regions. This marks a significant step in our mission to expand Total Soil Nutrition Testing across the island.

Agricultural Importance of Kurunegala

Kurunegala is often referred to as a true “multi-crop district” due to its wide variety of agricultural output.

Paddy Cultivation
• Kurunegala consistently ranks among the top five districts for paddy cultivation in Sri Lanka.
• According to the Department of Census and Statistics, the district contributes a substantial share of both Maha and Yala season harvests, with thousands of hectares under irrigation schemes fed by tanks and minor reservoirs.
• Its mix of irrigated and rain-fed lands allows farmers to cultivate year-round.

Coconut Production
• Kurunegala is one of the heartlands of Sri Lanka’s coconut triangle.
• The Department of Agriculture notes that coconut estates and smallholder plots in Kurunegala provide a significant share of the national coconut output, supporting both domestic consumption and exports.

Fruits and Vegetables
• The district is also famous for its banana, pineapple, papaya, mango, and jackfruit cultivation, serving as both subsistence crops and income generators.
• Large volumes of vegetables—such as brinjal, okra, capsicum, beans, and leafy greens—are supplied to local and urban markets, making Kurunegala a central hub for household nutrition and agri-business.

Why Precision Agriculture Matters Here

With its wide range of crops, Kurunegala represents the perfect example of why precision agriculture is urgently needed in Sri Lanka:

✅ Diverse soil types – from paddy fields to upland coconut and vegetable plots, requiring different nutrient management.
✅ High fertilizer dependency – farmers often rely on blanket applications, leading to overuse, higher costs, and soil degradation.
✅ National food security role – as a key contributor of rice, coconut, fruits, and vegetables, the district’s productivity directly affects the country’s markets.

Through our Total Soil Nutrition Testing, we aim to deliver site-specific fertilizer recommendations, reduce wastage, and improve both yields and soil health.

Our Commitment

By calibrating soils in Kurunegala, Biogenic Soil Sense is building a robust local database that will make soil testing more accurate and meaningful for farmers in this district. Together with national datasets from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Census and Statistics, our work helps bridge science, technology, and farmer practice.

This journey is another step toward a future of precision agriculture in Sri Lanka—where every seed is matched with the right nutrition, ensuring sustainable harvests for generations.

“Know your soil, know your nutrition demand.”
“Scanning the soil, profiling the land.”