The Ministry of Agriculture has been successfully implementing the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) in eleven districts in the dry zone with Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kurunegala districts in the forefront. The CSIAP is financed by the World Bank.
According to Agriculture Ministry sources 258 Grama Niladhari divisions are being covered under the projects in Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Polonnaruwa, Puttalam, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Moneragala and Hambantota districts.
The project has been designed to complete the rehabilitation and restoration of around, 1,190 small tanks come under 121 cascade (ellanga) systems, in 10 river basins namely Modaragan Aru Yanoya, Mee Oya, Kalaoya, Peru Aru, Mandakal Aru, Heda oya, Karanda Oya, Kirindi Oya and Menik Ganga Rivers.
A Ministry spokesman told the Sunday Observer that the particular World Bank funded project is around US$ 125 million. The main development objective of the project is to enhance the livelihood of beneficiary farmer families, nearly 5,8000 living on 8,2000 hectares of command area in the eleven districts.
The project plans for uplifting the agriculture, livelihood of small scale tank based farming communities living in the most climatically vulnerable farming areas in the eleven districts.
Under the circumstances it is aimed to improve the productivity and climate resilience of the smallholder agriculture sector thereon, the spokesman said.
Under the CSIAP, nearly 900 abandoned tanks have already been identified to be renovated within the next two years as its final phase.
The World Bank has provided a US$ 44 million to complete the restoration of 479 rural tanks in Anuradhapura and the Trincomalee districts in 2023.
The Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project has components such as agriculture production and marketing and water facilities enhancement for agriculture project management and contingency emergency response.
The total estimated cost for the tank rehabilitation venture alone is Rs.13,090 million.
At present, Duvulwewa and Palugaswewa in Trincomalee district and Kandutuwewa in Anuradhapura district are being restored under CSIAP.