The Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) commences renovating 152 Agro wells in Eastern Province at the cost of Rs. 45.6m. Under this, 78 Agro wells in Trincomalee, 29 Agro wells in Batticaloa and 45 Agro wells in Ampara will be renovated. The event of making payments for farmers to renovate their Agro wells was held at the Divisional Secretariate, Morawewa recently under the patronage of Hon. Kapila Nuwan Athukorala, Parlimentarian, and Chairman of District Coordinating Committee, Trincomalee District.
The scarcity of water for the cultivation in the Yala season is a major issue of farmers in the hotspot areas of Eastern Province. Agro wells are one of the major solutions to overcome water shortage in the dry season and this was identified by CSIAP during the Participatory Rural Appraisal at the field level. Agro wells are provided with supplementary irrigation for Other Field Crops (OFC) cultivation in the Yala season. On the other hand, farmers of some area of the Eastern Province used to cultivate OFC by means of Agro well as a major water source throughout the year and they could go for high-value crops, especially to cultivate in the off-season which will lead to high income. This can also affect the price fluctuation of certain crops affecting positively to consumers.
Mr. Saman Dharshana Pandikorala,Goventment Agent, Trincomalee, Mr. W.M.Bhathiya Vijayantha, Divisional Secretary, Morawewa, Mr. S.M.G.Samarakoon, Divisional Secretary, Gomarankadawala, Mr. W.R.Jagath Kumara, Pradesa Saba Chairman, Morawewa, Mr. L.B Chandana Vijitha Kumara Pradesa Saba Chairman, Gomarankadawela, CSIAP officers and members of Farmer Organizations and beneficiaries of Agro wells attended on this occasion.
Dr. R. M. Ariyadasa, the Deputy Project Director,
Eastern Province of the CSIAP organized the above programme with the
support of Divisional Secretaries of Morewewa and Gomarankadawala.
