UNDP Allocates USD 38mn to Support dry zone Communities in Sri Lanka

The United Nations Development Programme announced the commencement of a 38.1 million dollar project under the Green Climate Fund to improve agriculture-based livelihoods of farmers in the dry zone.

“The project will allow assistance to be provided to 770,000 people in three river basins – Malwatu Oya, Yan Oya and Mi Oya – who are vulnerable to climate change,” UNDP said in a statement.

“Around 1.2 million people living in the same areas will indirectly benefit from the project.”

UNDP will work with a number of government institutions and it will be implemented from 2017 to 2024.

Further to the grant from the GCF, the Government of Sri Lanka will leverage Government co-financing amounting to US 14 million dollars for this project to address several financial, technical, and institutional barriers related to achieving integrated water management to improve agriculture-based livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the Dry Zone.

In addition to Sri Lanka’s proposal, the Board approved 8 other proposals. This is the first time that Sri Lanka has received funding from the Green Climate Fund.

Courtesy ; LBO