CTC Annual Fair marks decade of rural empowerment

This year marks a decade of rural empowerment for Ceylon Tobacco Company's (CTC) flagship CSR initiative, the Sustainable Agriculture Development Program (SADP).

In celebration of this milestone, the annual SADP Pola was opened by BAT Area Director, South Asia Area, Syed Javed Iqbal and Chairman, CTC, Susantha Ratnayake at the CTC Head Office in Colombo recently.

CTC's Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Michael Koest, as well as other Directors and employees of CTC were also present.

The SADP Pola, which showcases produce grown by beneficiary families of the SADP project, is an opportunity for all CTC employees to engage with farmers and purchase organic produce cultivated throughout the country. Managing Director Koest said, "SADP has played a crucial part in the empowerment of underprivileged families across the island. Over the last 10 years, CTC has been a driving force behind poverty alleviation at rural level, by enabling thousands of families to achieve a sustainable means of living through SADP."

"This fair provides an opportunity for farmers to sell their produce at the CTC head office, while also giving our employees the opportunity to contribute to this programme," he said.