The CSIAP commences with rehabilitating the Palapathwala Tank in Kurunegala

The Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) started rehabilitating the Palapathwala tank in Kurunegala this Tuesday (13^th) under the patronage of under the patronage of Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Minister of Agriculture. Bund forming, tank deepening, sluice repairing and catchment development will be carried out under this rehabilitation. The Palapathwala tank will be used to supply adequate water for cultivation in the area. the rehabilitation of tank-based irrigated agricultural systems is key to improving the resilience of these areas and the agrarian communities that depend on them.

 The CSIAP plans to rehabilitate 1200 tanks in its command areas of 11 districts in six provinces. This programme was organized by the CSIAP's Deputy Project Director in the North Western Province (NWP) Mr. O.P. Kithsiri and his staff. The Governor  of NWP Hon. Raja Kollure, Hon state Ministers D.B Hearth, Hon. MP Asanka Nawarathna, Hon MP Manjula Dissanayake, top level politicians and government officials, officials of CSIAP, farmers from Palapathwala cascade, Ambanpola attended this event.

The current status and future plans of the CSIAP discussed

 

A special discussion about the current status and future plans of the CSIAP was held under the patronage of Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Minister of Agriculture,  yesterday (07th) at the Ministry of Agriculture.

 The World Bank Officials, Prof. Udith K. Jayasinghe, Secretary & Officials of Ministry of Agriculture, Chief Secretaries & representatives of North Western, North Central, Northern, Eastern, Uva and Southern provinces, Senior Officials of Department of Agriculture, Project Director, Deputy Project Director & Provincial Deputy Project Directors, CSIAP attended this discussion.

CSIAP–DAD Review Modernization Plan for Agrarian Service Centres

Senior Official from CSIAP and DAD engaging in high-level discussion

A special high-level discussion on the modernization of Agrarian Service Centres (ASCs) in areas covered by the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) was held yesterday at the Department of Agrarian Development (DAD) Head Office in Colombo. The meeting brought together senior officials of the DAD and the CSIAP to review progress and outline key interventions aimed at strengthening farmer services. 

Modernizing ASCs into One-Stop Service Centres
Under the proposed modernization programme, CSIAP is supporting the transformation of ASCs into fully functional One-Stop Service Centres, offering modern, efficient, and climate-responsive services to farmers. The initiative is designed to enhance farmers’ resilience to climate change while addressing key challenges that limit agricultural productivity.

A major component of the programme involves the renovation, expansion, and refurbishment of 47 existing ASC office buildings within the CSIAP command area. These centers will be upgraded to operate as attractive, farmer-friendly service hubs. The estimated investment for this civil infrastructure development is Rs. 336.18 million.

Establishment of ICT Units in ASCs
In line with the digitalization of agrarian services, the project also plans to establish fully equipped ICT units in each of the 47 ASCs. These units will be staffed with trained personnel and provided with modern equipment to deliver vital information to farmers, including weather forecasts, market trends, and access to new agricultural technologies. As a pilot initiative, ICT units will be set up in two ASCs—Parangiyawadiya in the Anuradhapura District and Weerawila in the Hambantota District—at a total cost of Rs. 8.16 million. Of this, CSIAP will contribute Rs. 6.68 million, while the DAD will provide Rs. 1.47 million. The expansion of ICT units to the remaining 45 ASCs is expected to commence next year.

Establishment of Farm Machinery Hubs (FMUs)
Another key intervention discussed was the establishment of Farm Machinery Hubs (FMUs) at each ASC, to be managed by the respective Agrarian Development Committees (ADCs). These hubs aim to reduce farmers’ dependence on middlemen, ensure fair access to machinery, and create income-generating opportunities to strengthen the Agrarian Fund. The pilot phase, covering the same two ASCs, is estimated to cost approximately Rs. 240 million, with plans to extend the initiative to the remaining centres in the coming year.

The discussion was attended by Dr. Priyantha Weerasinghe, Acting Project Director, CSIAP, Provincial Deputy Project Directors, Mr. A. H. M. L. Abeyrathna, Commissioner General of the Department of Agrarian Development, and other senior officials from both institutions.

The 11 more Soil Testing Kits valued at Rs: 1.1m given to AIs by the CSIAP

An AI receive a soil testing kit from the Chief Guset Mr. AnuraWijeyathunga

The 11 more soil testing kits valued at Rs 1.1 million are given to Agriculture Instructors (AIs) in Ampara by the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) funded by the World Bank at the District Agriculture Training Centre, Department of Agriculture (DoA): Inter Provincial, Addalachenai, Ampara, last week. This event was held under the patronage of Mr. Anura Wijeyathunga, Deputy Director of Agriculture (Agriculture Technology), Ministry of Agriculture.  

On behalf of the CSIAP, Mr. Anura Wijeyathunga, Mr. M.F.A. Zaneer, Deputy Director of Agriculture (Inter Provincial), DoA, Ampara and Mr.  Jude Chrishanta, Agriculture Specialist, CSIAP handed soil testing kits over to AIs.

Mrs. Renuka De Silva, Soil Scientist, Horticulture Research and Development Institute (HORDI), DoA, Gannoruwa, conducted a training program on the use of Soil Testing kits for AIs. The goal of soil testing is to provide an accurate assessment of the soil's fertility to make fertilizer recommendations for farmers in the CSIAP command area.  The first sets of 10 soil testing kits valued at 1 million were given to AIs in Batticaloa district recently by the Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Minister of Agriculture. Officials at HORDI and Department of Agriculture and Technical Assistants were present at the ceremony. 

AIs obtain soil testing kists from Mr. M.F.A. Zaneer and Mr. Jude Chrishanta, and Mrs. Renuka De Silva conducts the training programme on the use of soil testing kits

The CSIAP Provides AIs in Batticaloa with Rs: One Million of 10 Soil Testing Kits

Minister Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage hands a soil testing kit over to an Agriculture Instructor

The Climate Smart  Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) funded by the World Bank supplies Agriculture Instructors (AIs)  with Rs: One Million of 10 Soil Testing Kits to support farmers in  the CSIAP command area in Batticaloa yesterday (26th). On behalf of the CSIAP, Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Minister of Agriculture, handed Soil Testing Kits over to AIs ceremonially at the Deputy Commissioner Office of the Department of Agrarian Development (DAD), Batticaloa.

The CSIAP will provide AIs in the rest of the CSIAP’s command areas: Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Ampara, Moneragala and Hambantota with soil testing kits soon.

The goal of soil testing is to provide an accurate assessment of the soil's fertility to make fertilizer recommendations. With the increasing awareness of fertilizer effects on environmental quality, soil tests also can be used to determine where fertilizers or manure should not be applied. The basic soil tests pinpoint the amount of organic matter, the pH and the level of macronutrients (nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K).

Hon. Sathasivam Viyalendiran, the State Minister of Backward Rural Areas Development, Promotion of Domestic Animal Husbandry and Minor Economic Crop Cultivation, Hon. Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, MP & Co-Chairman of District Coordinating Committee, Batticaloa, Officials of DAD, Officials of the CSIAP and farmers were present at the ceremony.

Agriculture Instructors in Batticaloa who received soil testing kits

 

Recruiting Agricultural Field Facilitators for the CSIAP on Assignment Basis

The Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) is recruiting 47 Agricultural Field Facilitators to work in identified Agrarian Service Regions located in following provinces and Project Management Unit (PMU) in Colombo.

 The 8 for North Central Province, 12 for North Western Province, 03 for Uva Province, 03 for Southern Province, 12 for Eastern Province, 07 for Northern Province and  02 for Project Monitoring Unit , Colombo.

a.     A successfully completed two years Diploma in Agriculture, which is recognized by the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission. Preference will be given to experience gained in the field of agriculture extension.

b.    Age limit: Candidates above 30 years of age on the closing date of application are not eligible to apply.

c.     Payment: Monthly allowance Rs 45,000, in addition, Travelling and reporting reimbursement Rs 7500 (Monthly allowance and reimbursements are based on monthly work done)

A brief Job description: Assist and facilitate agriculture instructors working in Hot Spot area    to promote Climate Smart Practices and technologies among the farming community, while maintaining very close association with all relevant stakeholder agencies and community-based organization of the Agrarian service area and collecting all data and information relevant to project activities and assist in the Formation and Strengthening producer societies, producer associations, social audit committees, farmer organization, producer federations and maintaining good governance practices in above community-based organization, promote groups and collective activities through community-based organization and while maintaining very close associations with all relevant stakeholder agencies.

Please visit https://www.csiap.lk/vacancies for further details.

The closing date for vacancies at the CSIAP has been extended till 16th June 2021