Kamshajini Raveenthiran hails from Vavuniya, a northern district of Sri Lanka, and holds a first-class honors degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Jaffna, specializing in Rural Development and Extension. She was awarded the Dean’s Merit Award for Best Research in Agricultural Economics in 2019 and has served as an Assistant Lecturer and Lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jaffna.

Currently pursuing an MSc in Capacity Development and Extension under the supervision of Dr. Helen Hambly as an Arrell Scholar (2023), Kamshajini is researching the impact of digital extension services on the livelihoods of dairy farmers in Vavuniya. Her study focuses on understanding how subjective norms, risks, and socio-economic characteristics influence farmers’ access to and use of these services, with the goal of informing policies and programs that enhance milk production, strengthen value chains, and improve food security in Sri Lanka.

As part of the NSERC Alliance and Canada Research Chair program, WELL-E: Enhancing Animal Welfare & Longevity Through Remote Sensing and Artificial Intelligence Dedicated to Dairy Farming, Kamshajini is contributing to global advancements in the dairy industry. By combining agricultural economics and extension perspectives, she seeks to develop innovations that address the economic crisis in Sri Lanka and reduce reliance on milk powder imports.

Her undergraduate research on farmers’ prioritization of dairy development strategies in Vavuniya was published in the Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development. Kamshajini plans to pursue a PhD in dairy extension and development to further her contributions to sustainable milk production, employment creation, and food security globally.

Back to People