Academic Building (B3)-Room 196
Department of Biosystems Technology
Faculty of Technology
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Mahenwatte, Pitipana North
Homagama 10200
Sri Lanka

Email: udaninayanathara@sjp.ac.lk

Ms. Udani Gunawardana, is an agricultural economist received her Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree in Agribusiness Management (2018) from Faculty of Agriculture University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka. She is following her M.Phil degree at University of Ruhuna, conducting a research on ‘Role of Consumers in Dried Fish Market Development in Sri Lanka; A Case of Choice Experiment’. She studied at Faculty of Bio Sciences, Fisheries and Economics, University of Tromso, The Artic University of Norway as an exchange master student for the autumn semester 2019. She joined Department of Biosystems Technology in Faculty of Technology at the University of Sri Jayewardenapura in 2022 where she is currently working as a Lecturer (On Contract).

Research Keywords; Fisheries Socio Economics, Agricultural Economics, Dried Fish Market Development

Other Activities; Traveling, Baking

Since 2022                 

Lecturer (On Contract), University of Sri Jayawardenapura, Sri Lanka

Since 2021                 

Visiting Lecturer at Aquinas College of Higher Studies

Since 2020                 

Visiting Lecturer at National Institute of Plantation Management (NIPM), Sri Lanka

2021-2022                  

Temporary Demonstrator, Department of Agro-Technology, University of Colombo Institute for Agro-Technology Rural Sciences

2019 (May-Aug)       

Temporary Demonstrator, Dean’s Office, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna

2019

Awarded the scholarship to study as an exchange master student for autumn semester at Faculty of Bio Sciences, Fisheries and Economics, University of Tromso, The Artic University of Norway under the project ‘Nor-Lanka Blue’

Marketing of the product is the key challenge faced by dried fish producers in Sri Lanka. With the isolated lifestyle of dried fish producers information regarding the actual demand on qualities of dried fish in the market is not transferring to them. This has led to receiving low price for the local producers due to low quality. Hence my research area is focused to develop the market for local dried fish producers in Sri Lanka. It is mainly focused on analyzing the consumer preference for dried fish and estimating the consumer’s willingness to pay for high quality of dried fish. Transferring the information on consumer side analysis to producers in order to market their product is focused in my researches. Moreover there is a lack of studies on gender analysis in fisheries and dried fish production where women play a vital role. My researches have been focused on filling the loophole in Sri Lankan context; leading to policy development suggestions.

Research Articles

• Gunawardana, M.U.N., De Silva, W.N., and Aanesen, M. (2022). Market Potential for Quality Certified Dried Fish: A Consumer  Choice Experiment in the Galle District of Sri Lanka. Tropical Agricultural Research,33(2): 223-233.

Conference Proceedings

• Gunawardana, M. U. N., Lokugamage, I.P., and De Silva, W.N(, 2022). The Xpress Pearl Shipwreck Impact on Dried Fish Consumption in Sri Lanka. In: South and South East Asian Conference on Small Scale Fisheries and Aquaculture – Fishing for life 2022 (SACSFA). Colombo, Sri Lanka: South and South East Asian Conference on Small Scale Fisheries and Aquaculture – Fishing for life 2022 (SACSFA)

• Gunawardana, M.U.N., De Silva, W.N. and Thakshila, R.P.A.D., (2022). Reviewing consumer concerns and producer practices on packing and labelling of dried fish to improve the dried fish market in Sri Lanka. In: 4th World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress-Asia-Pacific. Shizuoka City, Japan: 4th World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress-Asia- Pacific.
• Lokugamage, I.P., Gunawardana, M. U. N. and De Silva, W.N(, 2022). The Effect of Xpress-Pearl Disaster on Marine Fish Consumption of Sri Lanka. In: 4th World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress-Asia-Pacific. Shizuoka City, Japan: 4th World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress-Asia-Pacific.
• Gunawardana, M. U. N. and De Silva, W.N., (2022). Gendered engagement in Dried-fish Processing Industry in Sri Lanka. In: 4th World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress-Asia-Pacific. Shizuoka City, Japan: 4th World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress-Asia-Pacific.
• Gunawardana, M. U. N., De Silva, W.N. and Aanesen, M., (2021). Market Potential for Quality Certified Dried Fish: A Consumer Choice Experiment in the Galle District of Sri Lanka. In: Market Potential for Quality Certified Dried Fish: A Consumer Choice Experiment in the Galle District of Sri Lanka. Online: Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture (PGIA), University of Peradeniya, p.2.
• Gunawardana, M.U.N. and De Silva, W.N. (2019). Dry Fish Processing as means of Empowering Fisherwomen in Southern coastal region of Sri Lanka. In: International Symposium on Agriculture and Environment (ISAE). The Blue Water, Wadduwa: Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna, p.23.

Since 2019                 

Consumer survey on ‘Role of Consumers in Dried Fish Market Development in Sri Lanka; A Case of Choice Experiment’

2022                           

Consumer survey on ‘The Effect of Xpress-Pearl Disaster on Marine Fish and Dried Fish Consumption in Sri Lanka’

2018                           

Final year research for bachelors on ‘ Gender Equity and Equality in Dried Fish Processing: A Case of Southern Coastal Region, Sri Lanka’