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Paddy farmers receive 9,300 mt of fertiliser from US
The United States has officially handed over 9,300 metric tons of urea fertiliser to the Ministry of Agriculture to distribute to more than 193,000 smallholder paddy farmers in the Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Monaragala districts.
The fertiliser procured by FAO with funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is the first shipment of USAID-supported fertiliser assistance, with additional supplies anticipated in the coming months that will reach close to one million farmers across the country,” the US Embassy has said in a media statement.
“This fertiliser, provided by the American people, will help Sri Lankan farmers to keep countless Sri Lankan families fed in the months ahead,” said U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, speaking at a handover event held at the Colombo port. “I know that fertiliser alone will not meet all of Sri Lanka’s needs, but this assistance is just one aspect of the United States’ much greater investment in and support for the people and government of Sri Lanka at this challenging time. In total, we’ve announced over $240 million in new assistance and additional loans for small businesses over the last year – and we’ll keep at it. Assistance like today’s fertiliser demonstrates America’s goodwill and true commitment to the people of Sri Lanka.”
“Sri Lankan paddy farmers are capable of feeding the country and we are working to ensure that they have the inputs needed to support their livelihood and strengthen the food security of the country. We thank the U.S. government and FAO for their support in ensuring that vulnerable farmers receive essential fertiliser free of charge,” said Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amaraweera.
The United States, through USAID, has provided $46 million in funding to procure essential fertiliser to increase paddy production and avert a food crisis – a portion of which arrived today. This funding will also provide cash assistance to small-holder farmers who have suffered due to low yields over the last two agricultural seasons and on account of the prevailing economic crisis. USAID and its partners have mechanisms in place to monitor and evaluate their work, ensuring that assistance reaches its intended recipients and benefits the vulnerable farming households.
“We are delivering on a commitment we made to reach small-holder paddy farmers with much-needed fertiliser during the planting season to increase their yield and harvests. This is part of our support to Sri Lankans during this complex emergency to ensure they lead healthier and more productive lives”, said Änjali Kaur, USAID’s Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Asia Bureau, who is currently visiting Sri Lanka.
“As FAO, we believe that saving livelihoods saves lives. The 9,300 tons of Urea procured through USAID will ensure smallholder farmers take to productive agriculture practices and are able to meet their food and nutrition requirements in these extremely difficult days the country faces. We thank the U.S. Government for its support in this endeavour and look forward to working with USAID in taking Sri Lankan agriculture forward” stated Vimlendra Sharan, Country Director of FAO.
Yesterday’s handover ceremony was attended by the United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung; Sri Lanka’s Minister of Agriculture (MoA), Mahinda Amaraweera; USAID’s Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia, Anjali Kaur; FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Mr Vimlendra Sharan; and USAID Mission Director for Sri Lanka and Maldives, Gabriel Grau.
Latest News
Landslide RED warnings issued to the districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale and Nuwara Eliya extended up to 1600 hrs today [07]
The Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Badulla, Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, Matara, Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura effective from 16:00 hrs on 06.12.2025 to 16:00 hrs on 07.12.2025.
Accordingly,
LEVEL III RED warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Pathadumbara, Kundasale, Pathahewaheta, Panvila, Medadumbara, Doluwa, Thumpane, Udunuwara, Deltota, Ganga Ihala Korale, Pasbage Korale, Yatinuwara, Hatharaliyadda, Ududumbara, Minipe, Udapalatha, Gangawata Korale, Akurana, Poojapitiya and Harispattuwa in the Kandy district, Thumpane, Udunuwara, Deltota, Ganga Ihala Korale, Pasbage Korale, Yatinuwara, Hatharaliyadda, Ududumbara, Minipe, Udapalatha, Gangawata Korale, Akurana, Poojapitiya and Harispattuwa in the Kegalle district, Alawwa, Rideegama, Polgahawela, Mallawapitiya and Mawathagama inthe Kurunegala district, Ukuwela, Naula, Yatawatta, Laggala Pallegama, Pallepola, Matale, Rattota, Ambanganga Korale and Wilgamuwa in the Matale district, and Hanguranketha, Mathurata, Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya district
LEVEL II AMBER warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Ella, Welimada, Haputhale, Lunugala, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, Kothmale West, Norwood, Ambagamuwa Korale, Thalawakele, Kothmale East and Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district and Godakawela, Kahawaththa and Kolonna in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL I YELLOW warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colonbo district, Elpitiya and Yakkalamulla in the Galle district, Mirigama, Divulapitiya and Attanagalla in the Gampaha district, Ingiriya, Bulathsinhala and Horana in the Kalutara district, Pasgoda and Athuraliya in the Matara district, Bibile and Medagama in the Monaragala district, and Kuruwita, Balangoda, Eheliyagoda, Pelmadulla, Kaltota, Kalawana, Openayake, Ayagama, Nivithigala, Imbulpe, Elapatha, Ratnapura and Kiriella in the Ratnapura district.
The Situation Report issued by the Disaster Management Center [DMC] at 2000hrs on Saturday [06] confirms that 607 persons have died due to the recent flooding and landslides while another 209 persons were missing.
The death toll in the Kandy district which one of the most affected districts has risen to 232, and 1800 houses have been fully damaged.The number of missing persons reported is 81
100,124 persons belonging to 29,874 families were being housed at 990 safety centers established by the government.
The government’s failure to act on expert warnings, including advance forecasts on Cyclone Ditwah, had led to the worsening of disaster impact, Udaya Gammanpila, leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, said at a press conference in Colombo yesterday.
Gammanpila accused the NPP government of ignoring 14 key preventive measures, despite alerts from the Meteorology Department, foreign experts, and the media.
Gammanpila said the government had failed to lower the water levels in reservoirs, dredge estuaries, and deploy the armed forces for canal maintenance. Local government bodies were reportedly sidelined, and that led to a delay in cleaning of drains. He said the government had also failed to evacuate people in a timely manner from seven districts identified by the National Building Research Organisation as landslide-prone. It had delayed declaring emergencies or curfews and the deployment of tri-forces to evacuate people in such areas.
Gammanpila said an experienced public official should have been appointed as Secretary to the President to mobilise the state machinery swiftly during the disaster. He said the government had not convened the National Disaster Council.
“These failures worsened the disaster, causing immense hardship, disruption, and loss of life and property to the people,” Gammanpila said.
The government has denied the Opposition’s claims.
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