Colombo: The Ministry of Agriculture in Sri Lanka received a shipment of 3,820 tonnes of Urea fertilizer, thanks to funding from the European Union (EU) and procurement by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The fertilizer will be distributed among smallholder paddy farmers and paddy seed farmers in various districts, including Polonnaruwa, Badulla, Ampara, Matale, Puttalam, Kurunegala, and Hambantota.

With over 72,200 farmers impacted by economic crisis, this shipment plays a crucial role in a 4 million Euro (approximately 1.5 billion rupees) program launched by the FAO and EU. The program aims to address the agriculture and food security crisis in Sri Lanka while introducing an integrated plant nutrient management strategy for paddy growers.

In response to the socio-economic crisis impacting millions of people in Sri Lanka, one of the many actions taken is the distribution of Urea fertilizers to vulnerable farmers. This effort not only addresses the immediate risk of food shortages but also lays the foundation for a more resilient and sustainable agriculture sector in the future.

The program aims to provide support to eligible farmers cultivating up to 0.5 Ha of land in targeted districts by distributing 50kg of Urea fertilizer for the upcoming cultivating season. Additionally, the initiative will equip farmers with high-quality paddy seeds, as well as the necessary technology and capacity building to enhance the efficient use of fertilizer.

The EU and FAO have launched an initiative that aims to promote the sustainability of Sri Lanka's agriculture sector beyond just providing material inputs. This support will benefit farmers and assist Sri Lanka in achieving its goal of becoming a food secure nation. Thanks to the valuable funding from the EU, essential Urea fertilizer will be provided as the first component of the multi-faceted support that FAO will give to kickstart this initiative.This will help boost paddy production and revitalize the local agriculture sector. The recent crop failures, caused by shortages of fertilizer and key inputs, have put smallholder paddy farmers' livelihoods in jeopardy.

In Sri Lanka, there is a programme that aims to support smallholder farmers by providing them with both technical and material resources to adopt scientific farming practices. By doing this, the programme hopes to improve fertilizer use efficiency and bolster the seed paddy production system to meet current demands. Furthermore, the programme also endeavours to improve government seed farms by equipping them with modern, high-tech seed processing and drying machines.