ICTA website said that the project is implemented by the Dambadeniya Development Foundation, the service arm of Dambadeniya Export Village Ltd. as a pilot project centred in the Dambadeniya, Narammala and Alawwa Veterinary Divisions in the Kurunegala District.

Under this project each registered dairy farmer is assigned a code. The services and information important to dairy farmers are also categorised and coded and these codes are made known to the dairy farmers.

For example if a dairy farmer wants to obtain the services of a technician for artificial insemination, all he has to do is to type on his mobile phone his code number and the code number for the service ‘artificial insemination’, the code number for his preferred service provider and the time of sending the message and send this information using the Short Message Service (SMS).

The sender will almost immediately receive an SMS saying that the request has been received. Within 15 minutes the sender will receive another SMS to the effect as to whether the message has been communicated to his preferred service provider or not.

In addition to SMS, the project also attempts to promote the use of the web and the touch- screen to make the young generation more aware of the prospects of the dairy industry as a viable, profitable and prestigious enterprise and also to create a close link with the ICT application at grass root level.

Under this project, advice and information can be received with regard to animal health, milk price, feed suppliers, medical drug suppliers, equipment biogas plants, bank loans, technical construction of dairy stalls, training programmes, mobile veterinary clinics etc. via the Short Message Service (SMS).