True transformation starts with everyday people taking action.
Lasting change grows from the efforts of those working at the grassroots.
It all begins with individuals making a difference in their own communities.
Real change begins with real people on the ground.
Current Scenario
The urgent need for climate-resilient agriculture in Sri Lanka arises from the increasing vulnerability of the agricultural sector to climate change, which threatens food security and livelihoods. Adopting effective practices such as climate-resilient crop varieties, diversified cropping systems, sustainable land and soil management, and integrated livestock management is critical for enhancing resilience and ensuring food and nutrition security. However, these practices have been adopted sporadically by local farmers and require proper implementation.
The northern coastal districts of Sri Lanka are among the most climate-sensitive spots in the country, affected by rising ocean levels, severe soil salinity that has made thousands of hectares of paddy fields unusable, and increasingly erratic weather systems that undermine age-old agricultural practices.
In response, local populations have introduced adaptive techniques such as growing specialized salt-tolerant rice strains like Bg 250, Bg 369, At 362, and Pachchaperumal, specifically suited to withstand high-saline soils, as well as developing brackish water aquaculture, especially sea cucumber farming, now widespread across various coastal districts.
Additionally, Kappaphycus alvarezii seaweed farming has emerged as a valuable alternative livelihood for many communities dependent on the sea.
Yet, these areas, long burdened by the impacts of severe socio-political conflict, urgently need coordinated implementation of climate-resilient water resource strategies, better weather forecasting systems, and robust, locally-led adaptation efforts.
These must account not only for increasing saltwater encroachment and deteriorating coral ecosystems but also for the deeper structural fragilities left behind by decades of war, in order to build long-term food security and resilient, thriving coastal economies.
