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‘Lankan food crisis is taking a turn for the worse’

Published

3 years ago

2022/11/13

More than one half of Sri Lanka’s population, currently making use of food-based coping strategies and livelihood coping strategies since they do not have enough food or money to buy food, are likely to “resort to means that will have a higher negative impact on their medium long-term capacity to generate income,” says a UN report.

The report, titled ‘Sri Lanka: Multi-dimensional crisis -Humanitarian needs and priorities JUNE – DEC 2022’ by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on behalf of Humanitarian Country Team and partners, says that an estimated 13.5 million, or 61.1 per cent of the population, are using food-based coping strategies, and 47.7 per cent of households use livelihood coping strategies.

The food and livelihood coping strategies being adopted in response to the situation by the Lankans include cutting the number of meals consumed in a day, reducing meal sizes, spending savings, and purchasing food on credit, says the report originally published on Nov 8, 2022.

“About 5.3 million people, or 24 per cent of population, are reducing the number of meals, and the same percentage of the population are reducing adults’ consumption so that children can eat, with women being the last to eat in the household. The proportion of households with unacceptable diets is ten times higher compared to the end of 2021. About 8.7 million people in the country are reported as not consuming adequate diets; nearly 32.2 per cent of these households are in urban areas. The livelihood-based coping strategies that households are resorting to include spending savings, selling productive assets, reducing essential healthcare expenses, withdrawing kids from school, buying food on credit, borrowing money or pawning jewels. Once these least severe strategies are exhausted, households would likely resort to means that will have a higher negative impact on their medium long-term capacity to generate income and their food security. Informal income earners, unskilled casual laborers, and those who do not have home gardens or livestock are among the most vulnerable to food insecurity,” says the report.

It says: With the reduction in domestic agricultural production during the Yala 2022 season, the prices of food are expected to increase further and reliance on imported food will intensify. This, in turn, would continue to drive a severe reduction of food availability and food access, with negative effects on food and nutrition security during the upcoming lean season, which starts in October 2022. Unless there is a significant turnaround on field cultivation and intensified agricultural support is mobilized, the upcoming Maha 2022/2023 season will remain a challenge. Without a solid domestic production base, food insecurity will likely continue and those who will suffer the most are the poor and already vulnerable families.

“Prices of most commodities have increased considerably since the end of 2021, and food inflation was measured at 94.9 per cent in September 2022 compared to a year before, a further increase from 93.7 per cent in August. Based on the recently concluded Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission by WFP and FAO, nationally, 6.3 million people, or 28 per cent of the population, are found to be moderately or severely food insecure. Of particular concern are 66,000 people who are severely acute food insecure, 18,000 of whom are living in the estate sector such as tea plantations. In total, 57.1 per cent of severely insecure people in the country are in the estate sector, and 41.6 per cent in the Central Province. Characteristics most strongly associated with moderately food insecure households include female-headed households (at 39.8 per cent), heads of household with no education (at 43.1 per cent), households of Indian Tamil ethnicity (at 50.3 per cent) and beneficiaries of the Samurdi programme (at 41.3 per cent). A slightly different set of characteristics are associated with severe acute food insecurity, which include the estate sector (at 2 per cent), high dependency ratio11 (at 2.3 per cent), “assistance” as the main source of income (at 1.4 per cent) and having at least one member living in the household with a disability12 (at 1.2 per cent).”

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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya extended

Published

2 hours ago

2026/02/13

Priyan

The landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya by the Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] have been extended until 0600 hrs on the 14th of February 2026.

Accordingly,
The Level II [AMBER] landslide early warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Walapane and Nildandahinna in the Nuwara Eliya district and

the Level I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Division and surrounding areas of Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district have been extended till 0600AM on Saturday [14]

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Royal Navy of Oman Vessel “SADH” departs island

Published

9 hours ago

2026/02/13

Priyan

The Royal Navy of Oman Vessel “SADH” which arrived in Sri Lanka for replenishment purpose, departed the island on 12 Feb 26.

In accordance with naval tradition, the Sri Lanka Navy extended a customary farewell to the departing ship.

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“We will not make decisions for rural level schools while sitting in Colombo” – PM

Published

10 hours ago

2026/02/13

Priyan

The Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that aligning with the development activities carried out under the new education reforms, decisions at the rural level will not be taken from Colombo and plans should be sent based on the requirements of the rural level through the District Coordination Committees by structural committees. She further noted that all officials, from the Ministry of Education down to the school level, must commit to working efficiently and with a human-centered approach.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing a discussion held with education authorities of the Hambantota District on Thursday [February 12] at the auditorium of the Hambantota District Secretariat regarding the new education reforms and prevailing issues in the education sector.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister provided an opportunity for education authorities including chief prelates of pirivenas, zonal education directors, teacher advisors, and principals to present the challenges they face and officials raised concerns including salary disparities among principals, developing school infrastructure, issues arising from the division between national and provincial schools, and uplifting pirivena education.

Further elaborating, Prime Minister stated:

“The new education reforms were initiated from 2025 through dialogue, consultations, and the collection of necessary data. As officials, you have extended your support to us during this process. We have embarked on a difficult and long journey, and we look forward to your continued cooperation.

We initiated these reforms in response to a strong social demand. Many have attempted such reforms at different times. Within our political vision, we understood clearly that if this country is to be rebuilt, an educational transformation is essential. The human resource is the most valuable resource of this country and it should be nurtured properly.

Solutions to many of the crises our country faces lie within the education system. Addressing the issues in economic challenges, social issues, drug abuse, violence, the breakdown of political culture, corruption, waste, and even the deterioration of human relationships all lie within the education.

In order to achieve the transformation we envision as a government, that an education transformation is necessary.

This education system should focus on reducing the pressures within the system, minimize school dropouts, increase employability, and instill confidence in children about their future.

There are disparities within the school system, between rural and urban schools, national and provincial schools, and difficult schools. This should not happen. All children must have equal opportunities.
⁣
Decisions regarding the establishment of schools or expansion of classes should not be political decisions. They must be decisions taken through Structural Committees. Those representatives understand their divisions, village economies, and population dynamics. Based on your decisions and assessments of needs, prepare the plans, discuss them with the District Coordination Committees, and submit them to us. We will then take steps to provide the necessary allocations and other support. We will not make decisions for the rural level while sitting in Colombo.

We are taking steps to minimize salary disparities. A Cabinet paper regarding the salary anomalies of principals has already been prepared for submission. Steps are also being taken to introduce new reforms in pirivena education through the Pirivena Committee of the Ministry of Education. We require the support of the chief prelates in this regard.

A significant number of teachers turn to human rights due to delays caused by inefficiency. Therefore, all officials from the Ministry of Education down to the schools must commit to working efficiently and in a humane manner”

The discussion was attended by Chief prelates of pirivenas, deputy ministers, Members of Parliament, zonal directors, principals, and other education sector officials.