The Pre-Mission Meeting discusses the CSIAP’s restructure and future programmes

A pre-mission meeting to discuss the CSIAP’s restructuring process and programmes to be implemented after the period of the CSIAP’s extension was held with officials of Agriculture and Plantation Industries (MoAPI), the World Bank and the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) this morning (02^nd) at the MoAPI.

This meeting was chaired by Mr. Janaka Dharmakeerthi, Secretary with Ms. Latheesha Liyanage, Additional Secretary (Development),  Ms. Anuradha Dharmasena, Director,  (Development)  of the MoAPI. On behalf of the World Bank  Mr. S. Manoharan, Consultant Mr. Sarath Wickramaratne and Dr. Athula Senarathne, Senior Agriculture Specialist were also present. Representing the CSIAP led by the Deputy Project Director Mr. H.M.P. Bandara, Provincial Deputy Project Directors, Subject Specialists and Engineers attended this meeting too. 

A Workshop on Annual Work Plan and Budget 2024 in North Central Province

The Deputy Project Director (DPD)’s Office of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) in North Central Province led by Deputy Project Director Mr. H.M.P. Bandra organized a special workshop on the Annual Work Plan and Budget 2024 in North Central Province with the participation of Specialists and Engineers of the Project Management Unit (PMU) today (15th) in the DPD’s office in Anuradhapura. Project Director Eng. R.M.B. Rajakaruna explained the necessity and importance of expediting activities within the given time. Group discussions under each subject area were also conducted. This programme aims to speed up project activities within the province up to June 2024 and make officers aware of the new 18th-month plan starting from July 2024.

 Photographs by Nikeshala Kodithuwakku, PMU, CSIAP

A Workshop on Annual Work Plan and Budget 2024 in Northern Province

The Deputy Project Director (DPD)’s Office of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) in Northern Province led by Deputy Project Director Mr. George Babu organized a special workshop on the Annual Work Plan and Budget  2024 in Northern Province with the participation of Specialists and Engineers of the Project Management Unit (PMU) today (13th) in the DPD’s office in Kilinochchi. Group discussions under each subject area were also conducted. This programme aims to speed up project activities within the province up to June 2024 and make officers aware of the new 18th-month plan starting from July 2024.

Photographs by Nikeshala Kodithuwakku, PMU, CSIAP

Invest in Women to accelerate the development

Women play a central role not only in the agricultural sector but also in improving the nutritional status of family members - A Feature Article on International Women's Day 2024

Sri Lanka ranks 76th out of 189 countries on the HDI and it scores 0.35 (80th place) on the UN Gender Inequalities Index (2018). The Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) interventions directly support 04 key SDGs out of 17; SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 5: Gender Equality, and SDG 13: Climate Action. Project interventions address the underlying causes of malnutrition by making the food system responsive to these causes to provide adequate, safe, diversified and nutrient-rich food. The CSIAP contributed to improving the nutritional status of individual farmers, their families, and communities. The project is empowering the smallholder farming community in terms of nutritional security enhancement, active citizen engagement, and ensuring gender-inclusive development.

WHAT?
Investment in nutrition is a dual imperative: moral and economic. It builds human capital and boosts shared prosperity. Addressing malnutrition yields multiple benefits, boosting gross national products, preventing child deaths, improving school attainment, reducing poverty, empowering women, and breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty.

WHY?

HOW?

• The project focused on addressing malnutrition among socio-economically disadvantaged families in 11 climatically vulnerable districts. Key vulnerabilities affected people in terms of nutrition improvement, e.g., food and nutrition insecurity due to Covid 19 pandemic, food price inflation, loss of agriculture production due to the impact of climate change, reduced variety and animal source food consumption, and reduced purchasing power.

• Women’s agricultural production was not recorded correctly and women farmers were invisible in decision-making bodies. Women suffered limited access to information, agrarian sector capacity-building technology, and farmer extension services.

• CSIAP integrated gender into the project’s technical and operational activities. e.g., internalized gender-inclusive policies, gender analysis through KPI, implemented GAP reduces the gender gap and enhances nutrition security, allocation for gender budgeting and data management on MIS, and continuous monitoring.

• Introduced Nutrition-Sensitive CSA. e.g., implemented 56,222 CSNSHGs and other agriculture programs in 258 GNDs. Introduced CSA practice and shared nutrition knowledge with the community. e.g., approximately 92,202 individuals participated in the IEC, of which 45% were women. 70,441 participated in the training.

• Women farmers had greater access to basic agricultural assets. e.g., 42% of women received agricultural assets and extension services through the project.

• Prevailing bottlenecks prevent women’s participation and their capacity to benefit from capacity building. Empowering women (skills and capacity building, economic, social and nutrition). eg. 40% of leading women farmers are assured equal access to special skills and knowledge-building inputs and have undergone training to become CSA farmers at the dedicated Climate-Smart Farmer Training School, Thirappane. 30% of women are actively participating in SAC activities.

• Empowered women to play leadership roles and contribute to women’s participation in agriculture, enabling greater participation by women in all project activities. Facilitated women farmers' entry into irrigated agriculture. e.g., 30% of women represent SAC, 42% are proud members of the PS, and 35% in PA.

• Identify women farmers with leadership potential and build their capacities to take the lead in entering marketing interventions and providing high skill levels on par with male farmers through FBS.

• Encouraged women, men, girls, and boys to share knowledge and practice in cultivating, processing, making, and consuming foods of better nutritional values.

•  Integrating nutrition for strengthened market systems e.g., established 365 sales stalls in 11 districts). Developed clear links between producers and

•  Consumption of vegetables, fruits, pulses and other nutritious value crops from their HG to access the nutritional level.

• Recognized women from farming households as ‘farmers’ & ‘leaders’ for adopting climate resilience. Empower them to utilize low-cost locally available foods. Be smart - choose healthy food. Avoid processed foods high in fat, sugar, & salt.

Outcomes of the project

• Increased in yield for selected crops (27%)
• Cropping intensity (143%)
• Shared of non-paddy crops in the command area (48%)
• Areas under improved CSA practices (42,000ha)
• Increased direct project beneficiaries (365,471)
• Increased income (20%)

Written By:
Sharmila Shanmuganathan, Gender Development Officer (PMU), CSIAP

The Final Day - The CSIAP's Highlights of " Agri Tech 24"

Day 03- The CSIAP's Highlights of " Agri Tech 24"

Photographs by Nikeshala Kodithuwakku, PMU- CSIAP

The CSIAP exhibits its new Agricultural Techniques in "Agri Tech 24"

The photo shows Eng. R.M.B. Rajakaruna, Project Director of the CSIAP is explaining about posters displayed in the booth to
the minister. The Deputy Project Director of the Southern Province’s Office of the CSIAP Mr. R.P. M. Dissanayake is also there.

"Agri Tech 24", an exhibition to showcase new Agricultural Techniques currently used in the Agriculture sector, as well as obtaining higher yields using new technology, less water and minimum fertilizer application, while introducing quality agricultural products, introduction of new types of seeds, production of seeds, preventing damage from pests, is declared open by Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries Mahinda Amaraweera in the Bataatha Agri Technological Park, at Hungama yesterday (02nd). This four-day exhibition will be held till 05th March.

The Climates Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) also displays its booth with the aim of new agricultural technology including farm machinery introduced to the farmers and displaying various posters showing project activities such as Climate Smart Agriculture Practices, Tank Rehabilitation, Agroecological Landscape Resilience Plan, Water Management, Framer Training School, Marketing linkages introduced, Environmental & Social safeguard, Women’s contribution to the agriculture sector, improving the nutritional status of family members. Farmers’ products are being sold and Seasonal elephant fencing to mitigate Human and elephant conflict and micro irrigation systems are displayed here.  A model cascade designed in the CSIAP booth attracted the attention of those including school children who came to the exhibition.

Day 01- Highlights of  " Agri Tech 24"