The World Bank Officials arrived in EP to review the progress of the CSIAP

Dr. Sheu Salau (Senior Agriculture Economist/Task Team Leader (TTL) for the CSIAP) and his World Bank Team of the 14th Implementation Support and Review Mission of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) arrived in Eastern Province today (04^th) to evaluate the implementation and performance of the CSIAP’s progress in Eastern Province. The progress review meeting of the province commenced at the Agrarian Service Center in Uppuveli, Trincomalee, this afternoon.

The World Bank’s supervision is critical for maintaining accountability, enhancing transparency, and ensuring the effectiveness of the CSIAP. Representing the World Bank, Ms. Thiruni Liyanage (Co-TTL /Water Resources Management Specialist), Dr. Athula Senaratne (Senior Agriculture Specialist), Ms. Saumya Srivastava (Agriculture Specialist and CSIAP ICR Author), Mr. Seenithamby Manoharan (Senior Consultant, Agriculture and Rural Development), Jagath Seneviratne (Monitoring & Evaluation Consultant) and Mr. Sanjiva Rodrigo (Value Chain and Agribusiness Consultant) joined the mission. The overall progress of the CSIAP’s activities achieved in Eastern Province was presented through Management Information Systems (MIS) by Monitoring & Evaluation Officer Ms. K. Karthiga while Subject Officers presented subjective presentations in front of the World Bank team.  Mr. Saman Bandulasena, Project Director and Subject Specialists and Officers of the Project Management Unit were also present at this meeting. Mr. R. Umakanthan, Deputy Project Director of the CSIAP in Eastern Province guided and facilitated this World Bank Mission in Eastern Province with his staff.

The MALLI briefs the World Bank Officials on the proposed CSA Center

The Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) will finance the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation (MALLI) to establish a Climate Smart Agriculture Centre (CSAC) within the Ministry which can be considered an important step towards building the resilience of the agrifood system to combat the adverse impacts of climate change in the country. The main objective of establishing the CSAC is to provide an essential institutional base for mainstreaming and sustained expansion of CSA practices and technologies in Sri Lanka so that the country will face the rising threat of climate change impacts successfully.

Dr.  Sheu Salau (Senior Agriculture Economist/Task Team Leader (TTL) for the CSIAP),  Dr. Athula Senaratne (Senior Agriculture Specialist), Ms. Saumya Srivastava (Agriculture Specialist and CSIAP ICR Author), Mr. Seenithamby Manoharan (Senior Consultant, Agriculture and Rural Development), Jagath Seneviratne (Monitoring & Evaluation Consultant)   and  Mr. Sanjiva Rodrigo (Value Chain and Agribusiness Consultant) , who are on the 14th Implementation Support Mission of the CSIAP, met Dr. W. A. R. T. Wickramarachchi, Additional Secretary (Agri Technology) to discuss the proposed CSAC at the MALLI today (03rd).  The World Bank officials were made aware of  the organizational structure and objectives of the CSAC by  Dr. Wickramarachchi with Dr. R. A. Gamini Senarathne, Deputy Director (Project) of the MALLI. Representing the CSIAP, Mr. D. V. Bandulasena, IDCB Specialist, D.R.A. Godamunne, Senior Engineer and Mr. Samantha Mallawaarachchi, IEC & ICT Specialists were also present in the meeting.

It is expected that the Center’s actions will help to enhance the agricultural productivity of the country in the face of growing climate risk; ensure efficient use of scarce water, land and other natural resources; build the resilience of vulnerable farmers to withstand the climate shocks; ensure the food and nutritional security of the citizens; and, help agricultural value chains to overcome barriers and constraints introduced by adverse climate impacts, effectively. 

 The CSAC will serve as a nodal institution dedicated to propelling CSA practices to enhance agriculture productivity and build the resilience of vulnerable farmers in the face of growing climate risks while also ensuring the environmental sustainability of farming practices. It will assume the central role in advancing climate-smart agricultural practices in Sri Lanka by way of promoting and implementing innovative applications of CSA technologies across the country, dissemination of knowledge on CSA practices, capacity building of key stakeholders, and formulation of supportive policies in line with the National Agriculture Policy. The Center’s continued dedication to CSA practices and policies will help consolidate its position as a Center of Excellence, not only within Sri Lanka but in the entire South Asia region.  

Photograph by Udula Sedara, MALLI

The 14th Implementation Support Mission of the CSIAP on the day 02 at PMU

 

The 14th Implementation Support Mission of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) continued in the Project Management Unit this morning (03rd ) For day 02 at PMU. The mission team leader Dr. Sheu Salau (Senior Agriculture Economist/Task Team Leader (TTL) for the CSIAP) and his team members were present while the CSIAP team which comprised Provincial Deputy Directors, Subject Specialists and Officers attended this meeting with Project Director Mr. Samana Bandulasena. The team will conduct a field visit in Eastern, Northern and North Central Provinces to witness the progress achieved by the CSIAP so far.  

The 14th Implementation Support Mission of the CSIAP commences at PMU

The World Bank Officials from various fields arrived in the Project Management Unit this morning (02nd) to commence the 14^th Implementation Support Mission of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP). The main objective of this mission, which takes place from 01^st to 11^th April 2025, is to evaluate the project's physical and financial progress. In addition, the mission will: (i) check the status of critical actions from previous missions including the farmer-level database; (ii) evaluate readiness to close all activities by December 31, 2025; (iii) assess the need for partial cancellation; (iv) introduce new World Bank colleagues to the team and counterparts; (v) examine progress on activities supporting the new Integrated Urban Development and Climate Resilience Project; and (vi) initiate preparation of the Bank’s and Borrower’s Implementation Completion Report.

The mission team is led by Dr. Sheu Salau (Senior Agriculture Economist/Task Team Leader (TTL) for the CSIAP) and include Ms. Thiruni Liyanage (Co-TTL /Water Resources Management Specialist), Dr. Athula Senaratne (Senior Agriculture Specialist), Ms. Heenaben Yatin Doshi (Senior Procurement Specialist), Ms. Anula Harasgama (Senior Financial Management Specialist), Ms. Nadeera Rajapakse (Environmental Specialist), Mr. Shanek Fernando (Social Development Specialist), Mr. Seenithamby Manoharan (Senior Consultant, Agriculture and Rural Development), Mr. Udara Wijeratne ( Information Systems and Digital Agriculture Consultant), Jagath Seneviratne (Monitoring & Evaluation Consultant), Mr. Sanjiva Rodrigo (Value Chain and Agribusiness Consultant), Mr. Ganesh Jayantha (Social Safeguard Consultant) and Ms. Sithara Atapattu (Environmental Safeguard Consultant)  and Ms. Saumya Srivastava (Agriculture Specialist and CSIAP ICR Author) also join the mission.

During this period, the team intends to meet with relevant staff from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands, and Irrigation; Department of Agriculture; Department of Agrarian Development; Department of External Resources; National Planning Department; Chief Secretaries of the North Central, Northwestern, Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Uva Provincial Councils; Project Management Unit; and six provincial Deputy Project Directors (DPDs). In addition, the team will conduct a field visit in Eastern, Northern and North Central Provinces. The CSIAP team led by Project Director Mr. Samana Bandulasena and Provincial Deputy Directors, Subject Specialists and Officers attended this meeting.

Photographs by Gayani Dassanayake, PMU, CSIAP