A workshop on "Hydrological Studies Using Software Applications" in NCP

 "Hydrological Studies Using Software Applications", the second one of the workshop series was conducted for engineering and technical staff of the Provincial Irrigation Department, District Agrarian Department and Department of Irrigation in North Central Province by the Design Cell of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) at the Creston Park Hotel, Anuradhapura recently. The purpose of the workshop was to equip Sri Lankan engineers with knowledge and skills to use software related to Hydrological Studies and to transfer the knowledge gained by the Design Cell of the CSIAP to Implementing Agencies and other authorities related to the Irrigation sector.

This workshop, which was held in two sessions of one week each, had been initiated under the instructions of  Eng R.M.B. Rajakauruna, Project Director, the CSIAP and this workshop was guided by the Senior Engineering Consultant Eng. H.G.M.Kulasinghe.  Project Engineering Consultants Eng. R.M.H.N Bandara and Eng. P.H.S. Rangika made their contribution to the workshop as resource persons along with the Engineering Trainee Mr. B.D.M.S.B Dissanayake. Participants received Certificates of participation in the workshop. Mr. S.M Seelarathne, Deputy Project Director (North Central Province) of the CSIAP of CSIAP (NCP) coordinated the workshop.

A training programme being conducted at the Farmer Field School in Thirappane

The Farmer Field School (FFS)at Thirappane trains farmers and give hands-on experience on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices to address the challenges of building strategies for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and food security (crop productivity),  which are closely related to agriculture and minimize their potential negative impacts and technologies to the beneficiary farmers of hot spot areas in 11 districts of six provinces such as North Western, North Central, Northern, Eastern, Uva and Southern Provinces where the CSIAP is being implemented. The FFS project costs around Rs 40Mn and the Ministry of Agriculture is the main agency responsible for executing the project.  The Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) funded by the World Bank and implemented under the Ministry of Agriculture. increases and builds the capacities of farmers for the use of CSA technologies to combat the climate change impact. The project aims to build a village-level resource person pool with the competencies of CSA technologies & practices from support organization officials and selected leader farmers through the newly established FFS.

 The main objective of FFS is to enhance the capacities of support organization officials and farmer leaders to promote CSA technologies and practices in their villages. Subsequently, the project aims to impart their knowledge and skills on CSA practices to village-level potential farmers to respond to the adverse climate impacts in their villages. In addition, the project mobilizes trained leader farmers to organize training activities and disseminate knowledge on CSA practices among peer groups. All training programs are conducted with the collaboration of the Extension division of the Department of Agriculture (DOA), Peradeniya, including the allocation of potential resource persons for training sessions. All sessions are to be organized as residential (03 days) intensive, multi-session and multi-activity group learning sessions that use lectures, group discussions, demonstrations of practical activities, videos, and other audio-visual resources as well as entertainment activities (drams and role play), etc.

The fifth o training programme is being conducted presently at the FFS with the participation of 18 lead farmers including 05 women from the Thunukkai Agrarian Service Centre area in Mullaitivu Districts.  Apart from the in-house lectures delivered, farmers were given hands-on experience in the field by subject specialists.

Dr. T. Karunainathan, Deputy Director (Research), Dr. M.S. Najiamudeen, Principal Agriculture Scientist at  Field Crops Research and Development Institute (FSRDI) in Mahailluppallama delivered lectures and provided participants with hand on experience in both cultivation and irrigation areas.  Mr. Farnk Jayasinghe, CSA Specialist (PMU), Mr. W.K..P.C Perera, Agri-Business & Market Linkage Specialist, Mr. Samantha Mallawaarachchi, IEC & ICT Specialist, Ms. Sharmila Shanmuganathan, Gender Development Officer of the CSIAP also delivered lectures in their subject areas at FFS.

Four Tanks renovated in NWP at a cost of Rs 13.42M declared open by the CSIAP

 Four tanks such as Galatabedi wewa, Katupitigama wewa, Kumbukgete wewa, and Ambagaha wewa located in the Ambanpola Agricultural Service Center area in Kurunegala District renovated at a cost of Rs 13.42 million by the Deputy Project Director’s Office of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) in North Western Province (NWP) were declared open recently and handed over to farmers to use for agricultural activities. 164 farming families living in the area will be benefited from these four tanks

The Provincial Office of the CSIAP in NWP has already started renovating 141 tanks in the provinces investing Rs 1661 million to boost the agricultural economy which leads to improving the livelihood of the farming community in the project area. As the chief guest, the Provincial Secretary of Agriculture Mr. D. M .K. Chandana  Dissanayake unveiled plaques of tanks and poured pots of milk into tanks to mark the opening.  Deputy Project Director of CSIAP in NWP Mr. W.M.S Wijesinghe opened sluice gates and handed certificates of completing the renovation of tanks to farm organizations. Invitees to the event planted trees and a traditional ceremony was also held to bless the cultivation and farming community too.

The Divisional Secretary in Ambanpola Mrs. H.M.C.J. Herath, Director of the Provincial Department of Agriculture Mr. P. Sisira Kumara, Director of Provincial Irrigation Mr. W. Kamalsiri, around fifty government officers representing provincial departments,  over 120 farmers, Deputy Project Director of CSIAP in NWP Mr. W.M.S Wijesinghe and his staff attended this programme.

Story and Photographs by Chamara Basnayake (Agriculture Facilitator), Rajanganaya ASC, NWP

A First-Ever Vegetable Shop in NWP to Sell Surplus Organic Home Garden Harvest

The Deputy Project Director’s Office of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) in the North Western Province (NWP) is encouraging farmers to operate Vegetable Shops to sell surplus organic produce from their home gardens. This initiative aims to provide farmers with an additional source of income while promoting sustainable, chemical-free farming practices. Organic home gardening, promoted by the CSIAP, emphasizes growing plants without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, using only natural inputs. This method replenishes natural resources and supports environmental sustainability. To date, approximately 16,762 Climate Smart Home Gardens have been established across NWP.

Investment in Vegetable Shops
The provincial office has planned an investment of Rs. 1.6 million to inaugurate 36 vegetable shops across the province. These shops will sell not only fresh vegetables but also eggs from backyard poultry and value-added products such as turmeric and chili powder. By creating a direct link between farmers and consumers, these shops offer fresh, locally produced food while helping farmers build personal relationships with their customers.

Inauguration of the First Shop
The first vegetable shop, owned by Mrs. K.M. Indrani Kusumalatha, was inaugurated in Vadurassa village under the Ambanpola Agrarian Service Center in Kurunegala district. The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of Mr. D.M.K. Chandana Dissanayake, Provincial Secretary of Agriculture, and Mrs. H.M.C.J. Herath, Divisional Secretary of Ambanpola.

Dignitaries and Participants
The event was attended by Mr. P. Sisira Kumara, Director of the Provincial Department of Agriculture, Mr. W. Kamalsiri, Director of Provincial Irrigation, around forty government officers representing various provincial departments, over 120 farmers, and Mr. W.M.S. Wijesinghe, Deputy Project Director of CSIAP in NWP, along with his staff.

Impact on Rural Communities
Vegetable Shops are a vital part of the rural economy, offering consumers easy access to fresh, home-grown produce while enabling farmers to earn additional income and strengthen community ties. The initiative reflects CSIAP’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and rural development in the North Western Province.

Story and Photographs by Chamara Basnayake (Agriculture Facilitator), Rajanganaya ASC, NWP 

The CSIAP Establishes CMCs to Enhance Living Standards and the Environment

Strengthening the institutional framework within irrigation cascades has been identified as a key requirement for the effective management of cascade systems. Accordingly, the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) is establishing Cascade Management Committees (CMCs) comprising Farmer Organizations and local-level officials to manage water, land, and related natural resources at the cascade level. The overarching objective of the CMCs is to restore and improve watershed systems through integrated management, while promoting sustainable use of water and natural resources to enhance the living standards of rural communities. 

Establishment of CMCs in the Southern Province
Taking the initiative at the provincial level, the Deputy Project Director’s Office of CSIAP in the Southern Province organized an awareness programme on CMCs, which was held recently at the Divisional Secretariat Auditorium in Tissamaharama. Under the project, CSIAP plans to establish 60 CMCs across the project area, including 20 in the North Western Province, 10 in the North Central Province, 10 in the Northern Province, seven in the Eastern Province, seven in the Southern Province, and six in the Uva Province.

Importance of the Cascade System 
The meeting was presided over by Mr. P. H. Sumanasekara, District Secretary of Hambantota. A special lecture was delivered by Mr. Prabath Vithana, former Head of the Water Management Division of the Department of Agrarian Development and retired Chief Engineer, who emphasized the social, economic, and environmental importance of the cascade system and its role in sustainable rural development. 

Multi-Stakeholder Participation
The awareness programme saw the participation of approximately 120 participants, including heads of line agencies, field officers, and other relevant stakeholders. Their active engagement reflected a strong commitment to strengthening cascade management institutions and promoting sustainable water and land resource management to improve environmental conditions and rural livelihoods.

By R.P.M. Dissanayake, Institutional Development & Capacity Building Specialist, SP, CSIAP

Over 9973 Home Gardens in UP enhance household food security and well-being

Home gardens give more benefits to CSIAP farmers. It can be categorized into social, economic and environmental benefits. The most fundamental social benefit of home gardens stems from their direct contributions to household food security by increasing the availability, accessibility and utilization of food products.  Home gardens established have been maintained for easy access to fresh vegetables and fruits at the Grama Niladhari Division level where the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) is being implemented.  Food items from home gardens add substantially to the family's energy and nutritive requirements on a continuous basis. The CSIAP is planning to provide and
encourage farmers to  raise egg-laying poultry birds for egg production too.

The Deputy Project Director’s Office (DPDO) of the CSIAP in Uva Province forms around 9973 home gardens in the Agrarian Serve Center area of Buttala. Grow bags, seeds and plants were already given to farmers to implement home garden programmes in the area. The officials of DPDO visited  14 home gardens to see their progress with Agriculture Instructor (Kukurampola  Range) Mr. R.M.P.Ramanayake recently. Instructions were given to framers to improve  their home gardens further by Mr. Ramanayake

Story and Photographs by R. Dushyanthan (Agriculture Facilitator), Buththala ASC, UP

The CSIAP's National Steering Committee Meeting commences at MoA

 The 09th National Steering Committee Meeting of the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) commenced this morning (24th) at the Ministry of Agriculture and was chaired by Mrs. Lathisha P. Liyanage, Additional Secretary (Development). Provincial Chief Secretaries representing provinces where the CSIAP is being implemented, top officials of the World Bank, implementing agencies and officers of the Provincial Deputy Project Directors’ Office joined the meeting via video conferencing technology.

Eng. R. M.B. Rajakaruna, Project Director led the CSIAP’s team which included Deputy Project Directors, Subject Specialists and officers at this meeting. Dr. (Ms) E. R. S. P. Edirimanna, Additional Secretary (Agri Technology). Mrs. M. M. Renuka Rathnayaka, Director (Development) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. A. H. M. L. Abeyrathne, Commissioner General, Mr. R. Vijayakumar, Commissioner (Development) of the Department of Agrarian Development and Mr. Nuwan Weerasooriya, Assistant Director, Climate Change Secretariat of the Ministry of Environment were also present in this meeting. Please click Images to see more photos of the event.

Photograhs by Gayani Dasanayake, PMU, CSIAP