EU supports 41,000 small-scale paddy farmers to adopt sustainable ways

In keeping with EU’s development cooperation, the EU has allocated 4 million euros (Rs 1.5bn) in grants for fertilisers, seeds, and training for 41,000 farmers in the Polonnaruwa, Badulla, Ampara, and Hambantota districts.

The grant will support the most vulnerable farmers, in particular, those cultivating lands of up to 0.5 hectares. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Sri Lanka is the main implementing partner, the EU mission said in a statement.

“Agriculture and rural development has been one of our key priorities since 2014,’’ EU Ambassador Denis Chaibi told the Sunday Times. “We have a solid partnership with FAO as they are able to mobilise the right people and expertise on the ground. In the past, we worked with them on poverty reduction at district level and now we are working together on a food safety policy.

“The new project launched on February 7 with FAO will provide direct support to vulnerable farmers and is in line with EU’s Green Deal where we promote a ‘Farm to Fork’ model that promotes a greener and more climate resilient agriculture.

Through the EU's new initiative to assist smallscale paddy growers, extension officers and farmers will be trained on how to adopt sustainable and resilient farming practices.

A farmer will receive a 50 kilo bag of urea for the Yala growing season.

Farmers and extension workers will be trained to use fertiliser efficiently, reduce the use of chemical fertiliser, improve the use of organic fertiliser and also improve the fertility of the soil for the longterm.

Another aspect is supporting farmers to grow quality paddy seeds and strengthening Government-owned farms in growing and processing certified paddy seeds.

The FAO will source both international and national technical experts to build capacity in farmers, Mr Chaibi said.

“FAO will also work closely with nationally mandated research and technical institutes and the agriculture department and train 300 extension officers from the Ampara, Badulla, Hambantota, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura districts through training at the Rice Research and Development Institute, Batalagoda. Then, those trained officers will serve as master trainers to directly train 6,000 famers on the ground, through ‘Farmer Field Schools’. In addition, FAO will develop and distribute training material to 35,000 farmers through appropriate e-platforms.’’

To help improve paddy seed production, the FAO will select around 1,200 medium to large-scale paddy farmers in the Ampara, Hambantota, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura districts of Sri Lanka and provide them with urea, basic seeds, and training, Mr Chaibi said.

“In addition, four Government seed farms of the Mahaweli Authority and the Department of Agriculture will be upgraded and their seed processing and drying capacities improved to absorb the increased seed processing needs of paddy seed farmers.’’

Overall, the EU has provided about 1 billion euro (Rs 233.5bn ) of assistance in Sri Lanka so far, through a variety of bilateral, regional, and global programmes.