Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2018-04-10

Agri-Irrigated project adaptable to Climate Changes (2018 - 2024)

- Around 470,000 acres of paddy lands are cultivated under the small tanks, anicuts and irrigational channels situated in the dry and intermediate zones of the Island which is about 25% of the total cultivated paddy lands of the country. This provides livelihood means to about 384,000 farmer families. Since these paddy lands are prone to climatic changes easily 1,493 small tanks scattered in 87 cascades located in 09 dry zone districts have been identified for rehabilitation to resist the adverse effects of the climate changes. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Duminda Dissanayake, the Minister of Agriculture, to implement a project under the World Bank Aid during the period from 2018 to 2024, with a view to enhancing the productivity of the cultivated lands falling under the said tanks, was approved by the Cabinet.