Establishing a Regional Biotechnology Hub
The Sustainable Agri-Biotech Service and Training Centre (SABSTraC) operates under the Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management at the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka (Makandura Premises).
Historically, the North Western Province has lacked dedicated analytical and agricultural biotechnology service facilities capable of supporting farmers, researchers, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and regional agro-industries. This absence restricted local access to standard quality assurance testing and hindered the adoption of commercial biotechnology innovations.
SABSTraC was established to resolve these regional deficiencies by delivering an integrated, multidisciplinary platform uniting research, quality diagnostics, professional training, and commercial advisory services.
Core Center Goals
Support industrial biotechnology applications for commercial innovation, seed certification, and agri-business investment.
Establish certified quality management protocols and pursue ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation with the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board (SLAB).
Generate sustainable institutional revenue through diagnostic fee-for-service models and technical short courses to maintain ongoing operations independently.
Our Strategic Objectives
Aligned with national development priorities and the National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) framework.
Industrial Biotech Laboratory
Establish and maintain a fully equipped agri-biotech laboratory supporting industrial applications, quality testing, and new investments.
Routine Analytical Testing
Provide reliable soil, water, microbial, nutrient, and food quality testing for farmers, plantation estates, SMEs, and exporters.
Human Resource Capacity
Conduct specialized hands-on training courses in plant tissue culture, bioinformatics, natural products extraction, and soil microbiology.
Advanced Academic Support
Offer specialized instrument access, technical supervision, and wet-lab infrastructure for undergraduate and postgraduate degree research.
Multi-Stakeholder Linkages
Build collaborative linkages connecting university researchers, Vidatha centers, agricultural instructors, SMEs, and policy planners.
Quality Management & SLAB ISO/IEC 17025
Enforce strict laboratory quality controls and implement the SLAB accreditation roadmap toward official ISO/IEC 17025 recognition.
Financial Architecture & Infrastructure Investment
SABSTraC is supported by coordinated state capital grants and university development votes to ensure both high-end equipment capacity and dedicated physical laboratory spaces.
LKR 12.00 Million
Ministry of Science & Technology (NQI Scheme 2026)Strictly allocated for procuring essential analytical and biotechnology instrumentation, including an automated Kjeldahl system, flame photometer, Class II biosafety cabinet, and shaking incubators.
LKR 9.50 Million
Wayamba University Infrastructure AllocationApproved capital expenditure for custom laboratory side benches (20 units) and island study tables (4 units) with integrated gas, water, and electrical services.
LKR 1.26 Million
Maintenance & Laboratory Partitioning VoteApproved structural partitioning to create isolated analytical suites, clean chemistry bays, and a dedicated microbiology testing unit at the Makandura premises.
Projected Impact Targets
Through the execution of Phase I (2026) and Phase II (2027), SABSTraC is structured to achieve meaningful, quantifiable economic and technical benchmarks:
