The World Bank Country Director s memories on the construction site of the FFS

Mr. Faris. H. Hadad-Zervos, Country Director, the World Bank arrived in Thirappane, Anuradhapura to lay foundation stones for the Farmer Field School (FFS) of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) alone with Ms. Chiyo Kanda, Country Manager and other world bank officials on 22nd this month.

Please click to watch warmly welcoming the World Bank Officials and laying foundation stones

1. Video   2. Slide Show  and    3. The Full Speech of the Country Director after laying foundation stones

And click to read 4. The full story of the Country Director’s vist at Thirappane

" We do everything to support you and move forward" the WB Country Director

I would like to know what more we can do to support you. What else we can do to move forward. I think it is very important said Mr. Faris. H. Hadad-Zervos, Country Director of the World Bank at a special ceromancy organized to lay the foundation stone to commence the construction work of the Farm Field School at Thirappane on 22nd this month. 

The World Bank Country Director, Ms. Chiyo Kanda, Country Manger and other officials were welcomed by Eng. R.M. B. Rajakaruna, Project Director, staff of the CSIAP and farmers, and escorted to the ceremonial ground by a cultural procession. The Country Director and Country Manager unveiled the plaque of the FFS. Secondly, distinguished guests planted saplings to remark the event and laid foundation stones with the Project Director, CSIAP and farmers.  The project Director of CSIAP made the welcome speech and the Country Director addressed the audience. Both male and female farmers had an opportunity to express their ideas on FFS to World Bank officials. Architect Mr. Sajith Sivayogaraj explained the architectural design of the FFS. The CSIAP’s North Central Province (NCP) led by Mr. Lakshman Premanath, Deputy Project Director (NCP) and his staff organized the above event. All participants were treated with traditional Sri Lankan sweets. 

The Country Director addresses the audience

I thought of coming to see the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project. But, you made us too much by planting trees and laying stones. It is an honour to be here I come from a family of farmers. My grandfather was a farmer in Lebanon. He was planting grapes. He moved to Mexico where my father was born. He was planting maize too. When I came here I understand that I have been to the farm. I understand what you have gone through. I understand the situation and challenges you have due to climate change, the country director added.

Continuing the speech, Mr. Hadad-Zervos said, I am so happy that this project is moving. There is an expression that a good gardener is always working with the best tools, not because of tools but because he is a good gardener. I do not want to say anything. I have nothing to give in terms of wisdom. You have infinitely more wisdom than I do. I would love to hear from you.

I think the role of the farmer is the most honourable job in the world. It is hard hard-working and sincere one. But I know every farmer including my family, wants their sons to become doctors and engineers. We have to make sure that you have productive work. You are able to realize the same ambition for your children, that I have for mine. Please keep letting us know through the project team what else we need to do, we promise.  I am very happy that work has been done. We accelerate and we will move faster. We have 900 water tanks systems to develop. We need to focus on this. Speed is more important.

Mr. S.Manoharan, Senior Consultant (Agriculture, Food & Rural Development), Dr. Athula Senaratne, Senior Agriculture Specialist, Mr. Asela Dissanayake, Senior Operations Officer representing the World Bank office-Sri Lanka, representatives of the implementing agencies, Eng. R.M.B. Rajakaruna, Project Director, Deputy Project Directors from the Project Management Unit and Provincial Offices, Specialists, other staff of the CSIAP and farmers were present in this ceromancy. 

The World Bank’s officials lay foundation stones for the FFS at Thirappane

Country Director and Country Manager unveil the plaque of FFS

Mr. Faris. H. Hadad-Zervos, Country Director, the World Bank, laid the foundation stones for the Farmer Field School (FFS)  of the  Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP)  alone with Ms. Chiyo Kanda, Country Manager and other world bank officials  yesterday (22) at Thirappane in Anuradhapura District

The CSIAP  has started to develop a simple, but fully-fledged the FFS named as Govipole Iskole or Wivasaya Patashala at Mannakulama Village of Thirappane in Anuradhapura District in a state land at close proximity to Wagayakulama Tank. The Farm Field School (FFS) of the CSIAP will be used to train farmers and extension officers in hotspot areas to give hands-on experience on Climate Smart Agriculture practices and technologies. It is expected to train  2,700 farmer leaders and 200 extension officers. The CSIAP will bear Rs 146.7 M from the total project cost of Rs 163.2 M of the project.

The FFS has been designed to fit into a  farming environment protecting environmental sustainability and will accommodate a maximum of 25 participants at a time. This FFS is located approximately 30km  South of Anuradhapura town in the North Central Province. It falls under the Thirappane Divisional Secretariat Division and the Thirappeney Agrarian Service Division.

Dr. Milinda Pathiraja of the University of Moratuwa did the architectural design of the  FFS.  Department of Agriculture is collaborating with the CSIAP in this project and will continue to engage in building the capacity of farmers and extension officers after the project.

Architect Mr. Sivayogaraj  explains the architectural design of the FFS and invitees enjoy traditional Sri Lankan sweets

The World Bank Country Director and other officials were welcomed by Eng. R.M. B. Rajakaruna, Project Director, staff of the CSIAP and farmers, and escorted to the ceremonial ground by a cultural procession. The Country Director and Country Manager unveiled the plaque to commence the construction work of the FFS there. Secondly, distinguished guests planted saplings to remark the event and laid foundation stones with the Project Director, CSIAP and farmers. The project Director of CSIAP made the welcome speech and Country Director addressed the audience. Both male and female farmers had an opportunity to express their ideas on FFS to world bank officials. Architect Mr. Sajith Sivayogaraj explained the architectural design of the FFS. The CSIAP’s North Central Province (NCP) led by Mr. Lakshman Premanath, Deputy Project Director (NCP) and his staff organized the above event. All participants were treated with traditional Sri Lankan sweets. 

The Country Director and Country Manager unveiled the plaque to commence the construction work of the FFS there. Secondly, distinguished guests planted saplings to the remark event with the Project Director, CSIAP and farmers, laid foundation stones. The project Director of CSIAP made the welcome speech and Country Director addressed the audience. Both male and female farmers had an opportunity to express their ideas on FFS to world bank officials. Architect Mr. Sajith Sivayogaraj explained the architectural design of the FFS. The CSIAP’s North Central Province (NCP) led by Mr. Lakshman Premanath, Deputy Project Director (NCP) and his staff organized the above event. All participants were treated with traditional Sri Lankan sweets. 

Mr. S.Manoharan, Senior Consultant (Agriculture, Food & Rural Development), Dr. Athula Senaratne, Senior Agriculture Specialist, Asela Dissanayake, Senior Operations Officer representing the World Bank office-Sri Lanka, representatives of the implementing agencies, Eng. R.M.B. Rajakaruna, Project Director, Deputy Project Directors from the Project Mnagment Unit and Provincial Offices, Specialist, other staff of the CSIAP and farmers were present in this ceremony.

Escorting to the ceremonial ground, laying foundation stones and planting saplings

Setting out the building plan of the Farm Field School completed at Thirappane

The Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) completed setting out the building plan of the Farm Field School (FFS) on the ground yesterday (03rd) at Mannakkulama village of Thirappane in Anuradhapura District.   Dr. Milinda Pathiraja, who took over the architectural design of the FFS carried out setting up with his team to locate the position of the structural parts of the FFS as in the detailed drawing with geometrical construction.

The proposed school will train farmers in 11 districts of the six provinces (North Western, North Central, Northern, Eastern, Uva and Southern Provinces) where the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project being implemented and provide them with experience in climate change farming practices and technology. The FFS will cost Rs. 117 million which is funded by the World Bank. Dr. Milinda Pathiraja provides his services free of charge with his team.

The 2700 selected male and female farmers, 150 Extension Staff of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Agrarian Development will be direct beneficiaries of the FFS, which is designed to be environmentally friendly and adapt to the farming environment. Those courses at FFS will cover Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) technologies and practices that can be applied in both Maha and Yala seasons in hot-spot areas, wetland paddy cultivation, upland cultivation, homestead cultivation and for the other field crops (OFCs).

On behalf of the Project Management Unit (PMU) of  the CSIAP, Deputy Project Director. Dr. Priyantha Weerasinghe and senior officials along with Mr. Lakshman Premanth, Deputy Project Director of CSIAP’s North Central Province and his staff attended this event.