Browsing by Author "Sandika, A.L."

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    Consumer Awareness on Food Label Information and Quality Standards of Meat and Dairy Products
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2010) De Silva, P.H.G.J.; Sandika, A.L.
    Food labels serve as an important tool which provides useful information for the public to make good food choices and provision of food safety sense. This study attempted to evaluate the awareness and use of food label information when purchasing either raw or processed meat or dairy products. Pre-tested structured questionnaire was employed to collect information from 100 consumers. Every respondent was aware about price rather than weight, brand name, ingredients, preparation guidelines, manufacturing and expiry date. Around 80%, 46% and 30% of respondents were in high awareness group with regard to SLS, ISO and HACCP quality standards for meat, respectively while it was 64%, 44% and 32 % for dairy products. Despite that utility of same information always or sometime on purchasing decision were reported as low level. Around 61% and 60% considered SLS quality standards for meat and dairy products, respectively. Relatively a small number of respondents (21% and 22%) utilized knowledge on ISO and 22.2% and 8% looked HACCP logo when purchasing meat and dairy products, respectively. A significant relationship was observed on awareness and adoption to read food label information and quality certification standards with education and marketing information sources. In general, improved knowledge of the relationship between consumers' food selection and socio-demographic factors and consumers' preference of a specific type of information on food labels affect the usage of food label. Therefore, the findings of this study could be used as a guide in designing and implementation of food label nutrition awareness programmes toward public sub-groups to raise their food safety awareness. Key words: Food label, label information, Quality Standards, Awareness, Adoption
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    Farmers’ Perception on Transition towards Organic Paddy Cultivation: A Case Study in Matara District.
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2018) Dayarathne, H.M.P.M.; Nanayakkara, N.I.K.; Abeysekara, A.M.W.W.N.D.B.; Sandika, A.L.
    Organic agriculture is growing at a rapid pace in response to progressively observed deterioration in the health of people and the environment. In such context, the present study is an attempt to identify farmers' perception on transition towards the organic paddy cultivation and the influences behind their perception. One hundred of paddy farmers were selected for primary data collection through multi-stage random sampling technique from four Grama Niladhari divisions in Matara District namely Welipitiya (34), Karandeniya (20), Kokmaduwa (22) and Kamburupitiya (24). The data were collected through structured interviews by farm/home visits. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential analytical tools. Results revealed that majority of the respondents (74%) have a satisfactory awareness of organic farming. About 50% of the respondents stated ancestral knowledge is the most effective method to gain knowledge regarding organic farming while, 18% of respondents stated mass media is the second best method. Among the rice varieties, Suwadel and Kuruluthudu were stated as the most suitable varieties to grow organically. Moreover, 54% of the sample was aware on the demand for organic paddy. The majority (78%) of the respondents mentioned supermarkets are the best place to sell organic products while export market and normal markets are alternative places. Further, 68% of the sample showed a positive perception to move towards organic farming. The results of the Pearson correlation coefficient explored that farmers' age, education, land area, income, and experience are the significant influences behind their perception. The study concluded that farmers' perception on organic paddy production is at a favorable level. Hence, these influencing factors could be tapped into further extension activities related to organic farming in order to foster paddy farmers towards organic farming.
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    Influence of Human Relations Movement on Employees’ Self-reported Productivity in Work from Home
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2021) Sewwandi, T.A.D.; Sandika, A.L.
    The COVID-19 pandemic is having a disastrous effect on employability. Employers in different sectors have taken challenging decisions to minimize the congregation of people by taking an abrupt shift to work from home (WFH). The current literature revealed, how the occupational incongruity determines the employee's ability to WFH. This paper further examines the influence of employees‟ socioeconomic characteristics and interpersonal relationships on their self-reported productivity during WFH. Additionally, the employees‟ preference for continuity of this “hybrid way of working” even after the Covid-19 crisis has passed in Sri Lanka. The survey data was collected using a google form over 150 employees using the Snow Ball Sampling method. The perception of self-productivity was evaluated using Five Point Likert Scale in view of relative time spent on completing a task. The comparative analysis conducted using descriptive statistic methods and the Chi-square test. The sample was compromised with 21% of Government, 17% of Semi-government, and 62% of Private Sector employees representing 59% of females and 41% of males. The result displayed, no significant relationship between employees‟ gender and age with their self-reported productivity. However, the results interpreted a significant difference between marital status and employees‟ perceived productivity (p = 0.003(α<0.05). Married employees manifested lower productivity than singles. Besides, this lower productivity is disproportionately affected by the presence of children. There is a significant difference between the presence of children with time spent on completing a task (p=0.031 (α<0.05) and the presence of children with their perceived productivity (p = 0 .003(α<0.05). The results further indicated interpersonal relationships with partners, management staff, co-workers and, customers were significant to employees‟ performance and achieving job tasks effectively (p=0.000, α<0.05). The absence of motivation and positive interaction has limited their capacity leading towards lower productivity during WFH. However, 59% of employees preferred to continue WFH and 27% have responded as indifferent while 14% have stated their disfavor towards continuity of WFH even after the social distancing policies gone back to normal. The evidence dispensed in this study helps to inform policy-makers to understand that WFH is largely been beneficial if the main issues are being addressed accordingly. Keywords: Perception on self-productivity; Work from home; Socioeconomic; Social distancing; Interpersonal relationship