Improve livelihood income generation to vulnerable families through crop cultivation at the border of Batticaloa lagoon for conservation and restoration of coastal ecosystem

Objectives

 Improving income generation of affected people on the eastern coast.

Background

Batticaloa, on the eastern coast of Sri Lanka, has been repeatedly affected not only by recurring natural disasters (the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004 and the floods of January 2001), but also by the decades’ long civil unrest. Disasters have destroyed large extents of cropland. Widows and disabled people are particularly disadvantaged by these recurring disasters, and have few options to recover from such setbacks.

This project is designed to provide income-generating livelihoods to selected disadvantaged and vulnerable persons.

 Interventions

• Two hundred chilli, brinjal (aubergine) and tomato seedlings; as well as ten coconut, banana and papaya plants were planted in a total area of nearly 2.5 hectares, with

• A three-day crop cultivation training programme was conducted for 20 widows.

• Twenty sets of planting equipment (mammoties, rakes, water buckets and watering cans) were distributed among these beneficiaries. Also provided were fence posts (360) and barbed wire (20 rolls) to repair fences.

Target beneficiaries

20 widows.

Outputs

20 women trained in crop cultivation.

20 home gardens.

Accomplishments and challenges

 • Even with this 40% failure of growth of seedlings, each beneficiary earns an average of about 31.5 USD (4,200 LKR) extra income per month.

 • About 60% success was observed in the growth of the seedlings.

• On average, each beneficiary harvests about 25 kg of brinjal, 30 kg of chilli and 25 kg of tomato every three months.

• The market price of harvested crops was high during the harvesting period, except for tomato. The excess harvest has been marketed.  In addition, 15 of the 20 beneficiaries have also cultivated cucumber and water melon. These seasonal crops bring an extra USD 3-7 (LKR 5000-1,000) per day. 

Contributions to cross-cutting themes

 All 20 beneficiaries were women - mostly women headed families. 

Lessons Learned

• It is necessary to begin training before commencement of field operations.
• The assistance of Agricultural Instructors provided greater self-confidence, and the overall expectation of higher incomes was also realized as a result.