Workshop on Water and Green Growth in Asia and the Pacific

23-25 February 2015, Bangkok, Thailand

Promoting Water for Green

Growth in Sri Lanka

-Climate smart agriculture

for women farmers

Kusum Athukorala,

Champa Navaratne,

Janaka Gunartna,

Ravi Peiris and

Anusha Alles

• Climate change a recognized reality and

threat to Sri Lankan farmers

• Specifically North Central Province of Sri

Lanka the ill effects of poor soil and water

management ,overuse of fertilizer and

pesticides leads to major human health and

soil fertility issues

• Epicenter of epidemic of Chronic Kidney

Disease (CKD) exacerbated by toxic

agriculture

• Need for a community move towards the

goal of water for green growth

Oscillating between flood and drought

Women's most affected by climate change impacts - diminished food and water security, resultant distress migration

Catalysts for enhancing food security as well as domestic water management if given access to knowledge and resources

Home gardening a vital role to improve community food security , daily domestic domestic needs, optimize domestic water ,

generate domestic enterprises

Needs fewer inputs and resources than commercial agriculture but moves away from toxic agriculture

Current productivity related to home gardening very low

Dependence on inorganics, high fertilizer overuse due to subsidies and toxic " cocktails"

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*Jalavahini Empowerment for Women

farmers extension activity started in 2012-14 by

NetWwater and Brandix Lanka Ltd in Anuradapura

*Unusual alliance of civil society and corporate CSR

program brought together by common interest in

water security

*Capacity building activity leads to feasibility of a

training program for women farmers in climate smart

agriculture

*Increased non toxic food for domestic use as well as

high value crops

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*Pilot project with 50 women farmers from Rajangane

and Pubbogama, two farming communities in

Anuradapura

*Practical exposure, technical knowhow and awareness

*Production of essential food crops for own

consumption

*Improving income of farming communities through

green technologies

*Micro level rainwater harvesting techniques and water

saving systems for promoting soil and water

conservation measures

*Cultivation of special High Value

crops such as turmeric, ginger,

medicinal herbs , aloe vera

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*Data management , cultivation diary listing costs, labour

inputs, marketing and major challenges

*Regular visits

*Prolonged communication and troubleshooting via post

and telephone

NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2014 UNUSUALLY HEAVY MONSOON RAINS

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• Constant inundation, spilling of irrigation

• reservoirs and heavy flooding

• A heavy financial loss (both in income and

• expenditure)

• Damage to fields and home gardens

• A severe psychological setback

• Presidential election in early January 2015

• Overworked, stressed out and demoralized

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Heavy demand on mentoring and encouragement from the project team-reviving the devastated home gardens and cultivating smaller extents of HVCs

Poorer households could not afford a second investment Use of inorganic fertilizers again to compensate for the loss of

fertility in the home gardens Revival of the age old rural tradition of “attam” formally registered organizations needed Need for official standing, access to agricultural

knowledge and to a decision making forum

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The need to be prepared climate related impacts - mindset and related gender ideologies

The knowledge /techniques related to water management and climate smart agriculture which can withstand extreme climate events is still limited

Access to planting material and seeds is limited

The heavy loss of investment due to floods needs to be recouped - Access to high quality seed material is a problem here too

Lack of a functional follow up systems following the breakdown of the T&V system of the Dept of Agriculture , officers request an incentive payment

Knowledge transmission system is very weak and the farmers are dependent on commercial companies who promote their own products for knowledge

Loss of Traditional agriculture related knowledge values, systems

Need for continued mentoring Support from local agricultural extension Advocacy for promoting green growth -

software as well as hardware – for green growth

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