Stories from the field O A F 2013 © a k n a L i r S D ecades of war and conflict had left them homeless and hungry. But today, many farm families in eastern Sri Lanka have been resettled in their former villages and are rebuilding not just their former lives, but better lives that include more varied and nutritious diets than ever before. A joint EU-FAO project* gave significant assistance to the Sri Lankan government to help these families return to productive agricultural work. In turn, that has contributed to a lasting peace in formerly conflict-torn districts while improving the country’s overall food security situation. The project helped farmers revive about 2 500 hectares of farmland with improved irrigation by rehabilitating 54 irrigation tanks left standing in disrepair for more than a decade and, in a few cases, for more than 30 years. It was a central and critical part of the project that once major repairs on the tanks were completed with the participation of local farming communities, day-to-day management activities were handed over to local farmer organizations. The farmers also reclaimed an additional 3 000 hectares of paddy land that was abandoned for 25 years when the project helped them clear, level, and plough the over-grown terrain. With more farmland available, most of the participating households were able to set aside 71 percent of their harvest for sale at better prices after consuming 23 percent and saving 6 percent for Rural Sri Lanka farm families grow more crops Incomes rise due to joint food security project
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Stories from the �eld
OAF
2
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©
aknaL irS
Decades of war and conflict had leftthem homeless and hungry. But
today, many farm families in easternSri Lanka have been resettled in theirformer villages and are rebuilding notjust their former lives, but better livesthat include more varied and nutritiousdiets than ever before. A joint EU-FAOproject* gave significant assistance to theSri Lankan government to help thesefamilies return to productive agriculturalwork. In turn, that has contributed toa lasting peace in formerly conflict-torndistricts while improving the country’soverall food security situation.
The project helped farmers reviveabout 2 500 hectares of farmland withimproved irrigation by rehabilitating54 irrigation tanks left standing in
disrepair for more than a decade and, ina few cases, for more than 30 years.It was a central and critical part of theproject that once major repairs on thetanks were completed with theparticipation of local farmingcommunities, day-to-day managementactivities were handed over to localfarmer organizations.
The farmers also reclaimed anadditional 3 000 hectares of paddyland that was abandoned for 25 yearswhen the project helped them clear,level, and plough the over-grown terrain.With more farmland available, most ofthe participating households were ableto set aside 71 percent of their harvestfor sale at better prices after consuming23 percent and saving 6 percent for
Rural Sri Lanka farm families growmore cropsIncomes rise due to joint food security project
CONTACT
Patrick Thomas EvansFAO RepresentativePostal address: P.O. Box 1505,
Colombo 7Address: 202 Bauddhaloka Mawatha,
Colombo 7Tel: (+94) 11 258 8537Fax: (+94) 11 258 7990E-mail: [email protected]
LINK
www.fao.org/world/srilanka
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATIONOF THE UNITED NATIONSRegional Office for Asia and the PacificMaliwan Mansion, 39 Phra Atit RoadBangkok 10200, ThailandTel: (+66 2) 697 4000Fax: (+66 2) 697 4445E-mail: [email protected]/world/regional/rap
For a world without hunger
The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONSleads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developingcountries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiateagreements and debate policy. FAO is also a source of knowledge and information.We help developing countries and countries in transition modernize and improveagriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. Sinceour founding in 1945, we have focused special attention on developing rural areas,home to 70 percent of the world’s poor and hungry people.
seeds for the next growing season. In total, the farmers earned the equivalentof US$1.87 million during just two cropping seasons in 2011. They achievedthis with the help of 70 846 family farming kits for 13 201 hectares of farmlandthat provided farmers with seeds, fruit tree seedlings, chicks, fertilizer and handtools.
Of the beneficiary families, 42 percent were headed by women. Theyreceived support in poultry rearing activities, including the provision ofone-month-old chicks, feed and assistance through a vaccination programme.
More than 11 000 farmers received training in ecologically sound andsustainable crop production and good post harvest practices. The farmerorganizations also received rehabilitation work contracts and training in basicorganizational and financial management methods, including contract andwater management.
The agricultural extension system of the Eastern Province wasstrengthened by providing training and technical assistance to 96 extensionworkers of the Department of Agriculture on environmentally friendly farmingsystems, diversification of production, nutrition, communication with farmers,processing and market oriented extension. The staff that received the trainingwas part of a new generation of young extension workers taking over thechallenging responsibility of delivering sound technical advice to the resettledfarmers.
An additional 100 000 families benefited indirectly from the projectbecause more rice, vegetables and other food crops were available at localmarkets. Meanwhile, the project’s farmers diversified their crops and increasedtheir incomes. This helped not only their own long-term food securityprospects, but also that of the country as a whole.
*Project: Enhancing food security and nutrition among the most vulnerable farmfamilies in eastern Sri Lanka – FAO EU Food Facility Trust Fund Programme(2009/213-679)
Donor and budget: European Union, € 5 680 853
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