ABOUT THE FARM

ABOUT US

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THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY

Puttalam Farms is an INVESTMENT VEHICLE that provides investors with the opportunity to invest in a unique asset class with the lowest possible risk: by owning the land itself. Owning farmland has been a successful investment strategy for thousands of years, providing solid income, capital appreciation, and the security of owning real assets across economic cycles. Puttalam Farm owns a significant share of the AGRICULTERRA REIT.

AGRICULTERRA REIT is Sri Lanka's first farmland reit the main focus of Agriculterra is to buy into farmland and long lease it to organic farms and farmers. Agriculterra believes in the importance of organic food to health and we are passionate about increasing the accessibility and availability of organic produce or products for everyone. Our desire is for everyone from all walks of life to be able to enjoy reasonably priced, healthy organic food, so we have made it our mission to provide organic foodstuff of the highest quality at very affordable prices.

The produce from Puttalam Farms ranges from plantations of coconut and teak, as well as tropical fruits such as bananas, mangoes, guava and passion fruit. All of Puttalam Farms' products will be grown and handled according to strict standards, without the use of conventional pesticides, irradiation, or fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or bioengineering. The farm also rears livestock, including cattle, goats and poultry, according to internationally recognized organic farming standards.

EHSAN ZAHEED

Director / The Farmer

THE MANAGEMENT TEAM

Shehan is the backbone of the tech running at Puttalam Farms, as well as actively helping out in developing the farm and discussing innovations to the farm with the management team. He is also part of the photography team that covers farm. With varied interests, organic farming being one of them, Shehan also dabbles in stage drama and is an active volunteer and athlete.

Director of Ehsan Ventures & Co-Founder of Expatkey Group. Ehsan has worked in the financial services industry since 1995. His background includes working with Ernst & Young Chartered Accountants, insurance companies, financial institutions and investment companies. He is the Chairman and Co-Founder of Expatkey Properties. As a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka and the National Institute of Public Accountants Australia, he counts over 25 years of corporate experience both locally and overseas in the Banking, Insurance, Wealth Management and Real Estate sectors.

Risla takes care of the design and branding of the farm and its products, with the management team. She is also part of the photography team covering the farms and takes them further into post processing. Her creative interests vary, and she is also very keen on how the farm and its organic and animal friendly methods can be sold to the local community through good marketing and design.

Loshini’s the best friend you’ve yet to meet – she connects with any-

one in a heartbeat! Which explains why she enjoys traveling and meeting new people all over the world. She’s traversed the Middle East, Australia, the US and South East Asia, and she’s far from done. Equipped with a degree in Political Science, she packed up her corporate suitcase in exchange for a backpack and flip flops and moved to Sri Lanka where she dwells in organic farming and aspired to create a sustainable economic for agriculture.

She brings 5 years of experience in business development and managing remote teams.

Hafaz is the lead player who makes sure all standards are met in the farm. He understands and makes sure that the key for success in an organization is the right people in the right place.

Founder/Director of Expatkey Group

Lina Ehsan, Executive Director of Expatkey Properties, has been an energetic, professional and vital force in the real estate industry since 2000.

Zaneem makes sure that the operational aspects are met as per plan. As he knows implementation action plans are on of the key roles in an organization.

Having been in the accountancy field for 20 years now, serving six of those years internationally, Jiffrey’s interests in organic farming comes from his very strong opinions of respect and kindness towards treating animals with their due rights, and he stands strongly against commercialized processes that go into modern farming. He has been with Expatkey for five years now, and takes keen interest in suggesting innovations to the farm. He also serves as a freelance Real Estate Consultant.

EHSAN ZAHEED

DIRECTOR/THE FARMER

The current Director of Puttalam Farms, Ehsan is the main decision maker and plays a key role in the management of the farm, overseeing all related operation.

He works in the finance industry.

HAFAZ ABBAS

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Hafaz is the lead player who makes sure all standards are met in the farm. He understands and makes sure that the key for success in an organization is the right people in the right place.

RISLA NAFFAS

THE DESIGNER

Risla is behind how everything related to the farm looks and feels - from graphics to packaging to Art Direction. She is passionate about educating the public on organic farming and good design execution and contributes so to the team

LINA EHSAN

DIRECTOR/ACTIVIST

Lina Ehsan brings into the management her passion for all things organic, and speaks out about the good it brings.

She contributes to the management by overseeing the humane treatment of the livestock and by day, works in the real estate industry.

MOHAMMED JIFFREY

THE ACCOUNTANT

Jiffrey is in charge of the finances and accounting part. He works passionately to keep the scales in balance, and oversees sales. He brings in his strong views on animal rights and passion for good cooked Saudi food into the team.

M. ZANEEM

GENERAL MANAGER

Zaneem makes sure that the operational aspects are met as per plan. As he knows implementation action plans are on of the key roles in an organization.

LOSHINI SELVARAJAH

CEO/ENVIRONMENTALIST

Loshini is the brains behind the green initiatives and concepts developed by the farm and for their products. She leads the team in executing these and keeps everything in the management office running smoothly.

SHEHAN MUFID

THE SYSTEMS MAN

Shehan is the tech wizard for Puttalam Farms. He also executes photoshoots for the farm and brings in innovative ideas that could be part of the farm. By day he works in Real Estate as a Consultant.

- RISING WITH THE COMMUNITY -

RENT A GOAT

RAISE A CHICKEN

WHY PUTTALAM?

SUSTAINABILITY

REWARDING

SCHEMES

The rent-a-goat-model envisions that a female goat is given to a villager to be taken care of, and upon reproduction, the host family would get to own one litter, with Puttalam Farms claiming the next litter. The goats receive all the freedom, love and one-on-one attention by these families.

This rewards both parties handsomely, and the villagers/host families would be educated about organic livestock rearing, strictly monitored by the Puttalam Farm experts, to ensure that the animals reared by the villagers adhere to the strict organic certification standards.

INNOVATIVE,

REWARDING

SCHEMES

Puttalam Farms is involving their community with a poultry renting model that brings about a win-win situation for the community and the farm.

The poultry-renting-model would work as such that: 20 young chicks owned by the farm would be brought up by a host family, from which 15 chicks would be returned to the farm after the hosting term is over, allowing the host family to keep five hens, as well as any eggs produced by them. The villagers will learn about organic livestock rearing, and would be strictly monitored by the Puttalam Farm experts, to ensure that the animals reared by the villagers adhere to the strict organic certification standards.

A DESERVING

COMMUNITY

We chose to farm in an area where the community could use a boost, the people in the area could use employment - we aim to create a large number of jobs in the area by involving them in our farming, harvesting, producing, and packaging processes.

STRONG TIES

Puttalam Farms aspires to create a community around them that will celebrate the successes of the farm as their own, and treat any disappointments that come our way with the deepest sorrows.

We're not just any other farm that is a closed up operation to their neighbors - we care about our community, and our community is involved in our efforts and directly benefit from us. Scroll through to see some of our efforts in this cause, growing with the community.

— VOLUNTEERING —

VOLUNTEER WITH PUTTALAM FARMS

Want to serve a good cause? Volunteer with us. Show us how you can contribute and we'll provide you with food and accommodation for your stay with us.

Volunteering with the farm, you'll get to see how the everyday lives of our workers go, play around with and assist in taking care of all the animals, help put up pens or structures around the farm, discuss development and take a break from your everyday urban life.

Contact us to volunteer or for more information. We give preference to volunteers with an academic background in organic farming, or those with previous experience.

FAQ ON VOLUNTEERING

Do I have to pay to volunteer with the farm?

No, it's free of charge. In exchange for your services, we'll provide the accommodation and experience and a chance to make a difference.

Why is preference given to those with an academic background in organic farming or those with experience?

It works like this: Organic farming combines delicate balances of ethics and farming methods: training beginners with no knowledge of the field will involve our workers having to spend a good amount of time going through everything and supervising your work. As a small scale community farm, unfortunately, we cannot afford to dedicate those man hours to beginners, during which our workers could complete the set tasks themselves.

Is it safe?

Yes. You can make friends with our guard dogs and sleep with one next to you if you ever feel unsafe.

Are there modern facilities?

Yes. Showers, electricity, internet and basic facilities are available for volunteers to access.

— GALLERY —

SCENES ACROSS THE FARM