Sri Lanka, June 26 -- The local poultry sector is seeing a renewed push towards contract farming and sustainable production, with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) backing an expansion by New Anthony's Farm Group (NAF) that aims to integrate more smallholder farmers into formal supply chains while strengthening the country's export potential.

The World Bank Group's private sector arm will invest up to US$10 million in NAF, one of Sri Lanka's largest integrated poultry producers, to expand production capacity, improve value chain efficiency and strengthen its network of contract farmers and outgrowers.

The investment is expected to benefit at least 200 smallholder farmers, of whom 22 percent are projected to be women and 80 pe...