Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2016-10-04

Strengthening the Farmers of the Dry Zone to face up to the impacts of climate change

- In the recent past, Sri Lanka had to face calamities such as rising temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns as well as ensuing severe droughts and floods due to climate change and the people who farm in the Dry Zone using rain water and rural irrigation systems, are the ones most affected by these disasters. Similarly, the Chronic Kidney Disease (CKDu), which has severely affected the Dry Zone, shows a high incidence in 81 Divisional Secretariat Divisions of 11 districts in the said Zone. Accordingly, with a view to promoting integrated development in the watershed areas of Malwathu Oya, Yan Oya and Mee Oya river basins where rural irrigation systems are more prevalent and the Kidney Disease and Poverty are widespread, implementing drinking water supply schemes in the districts of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Mannar, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Kurunegala and Puttalam, which are connected to the above river basins and strengthening the institutional and organizational structures of the relevant areas with community participation to face up to disasters, the proposal made by H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment,to implement a Climate Resilience Project through integrated water management, within 07 years from the year 2017, utilizing the grant of US$ 38.087 million to be provided by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), was approved by the Cabinet.