Food security programme a success in Kurunegala

Nadira Gunatilleke

KURUNEGALA: The pilot project commenced by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in the Kurunegala district under its Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS) has achieved a significant success releasing Rs.21.9 million to farmers under a revolving fund.

This was revealed during a press briefing held at the Sri Lanka Foundation institute (SLFI), Colombo 7 yesterday.

The project has achieved several other targets including creating 48 vibrant, self reliant strong farmers’ organisations, capacity building, increasing productivity and income through crop intensification diversification and irrigation management, promotion of livestock and fisheries.

The programme expects to deliver benefits to its beneficiaries worth more than US$ 1.8 million both in cash and kind. Based on SPFS experiences in strengthening food security in the initial 17 villages and 31 villages in the expansion phase, the Government has undertaken to formulate a National Programme for Food Security (NPFS) with FAO assistance.

The project commenced in 1999 in Kombuwa and Ambakolawewa, two villages in the Kurunegala district with financial assistance from the Japanese Government.

The FAO initiated the second phase of the project in March 2002 initially covering 17 villages. It is also funded by the Japanese Government with a contribution in kind from the Sri Lankan Government.

The Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Ministry is the implementing partner of this project. The project also entailed the introduction of new crops, improvement of water supply, better on-farm water management.