The Validation Workshop for the Pilot Interventions for Resilience Development in Flood-Prone Areas in the Ratnapura and Kalutara Districts in Sri Lanka

The workshop was organized by the International Labor Organizaton (ILO).   Ministry of Plantation, Ratnapura District Secretariat, UNDP, World Vision, Unicef were among the stakeholders who participated.  Dr Ananda Mallawatantri, Country Representative and Ms Dinithi Samrathunga, Project Officer represented IUCN and presented four pilot interventions to improve flood resilience during the validation workshop.  

The four interventions presented by Dr Mallawatantri were: Managing water, land and livelihood nexus in "Paravi Dola"[1]; Increasing competitiveness in global and local market place for "Miracle Kithul Syrup and Products"[2]; Improved Flood Early Warning System in Kalu River Basin to save lives and reduce injuries[3]; and Creating synergy among research, knowledge, best practices, resources and market potential to improve resilience of tea smallholders[4].

The pilot interventions aim to support the sustainable resilience development in the area while allowing ILO and other entities to target resources, first as pilot sites and then to upscale the interventions to cover other areas in the country. These project designs promote Public-Private-People Partnerships (PPPPs) and facilitate necessary policy, investment and awareness.

Beneficiaries of the designed projects include over 3,500 community members who are/were impacted by floods, landslides and extreme droughts in Palindanuwara and Bulathsinhala Divisional Secretary Divisions (DSDs) of the Kalutara District and Wewalkadura DSD of Ratnapura District.

The key vision of these approaches is to empower vulnerable communities, to improve PPPPs and to transfer knowledge to lead a transformational change through sustainable water and land management practices to achieve community resilience.

Natural Resources Management Centre, Haughton Plantation, University of Moratuwa, Kalutara District Irrigation Office and People's Livelihood Development Foundation provided inputs throughout the project to develop the above-mentioned intervention areas.

The project was funded by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and  was implemented from October 2018 to February 2019 (https://www.iucn.org/asia/countries/sri-lanka/identification-intervention-areas-establishment-baseline-information-and-development-a-set-pilot-projects-kaluthara-and-rathnapura-flood-affected-areas).

[1] Managing Paravi Dola - https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqgXd7gCZ7d2kW7H2u-tQGlvgqk5

[2] Increasing competitiveness in Miracle Kitul -  https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqgXd7gCZ7d2kWs3qbpkh2EXeCE_

[3] Improving flood early warnings - https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqgXd7gCZ7d2kWxWQbvLIx0XP6uY

[4] Creating synergy among tea small holders - https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqgXd7gCZ7d2kW19Xus18ziHqe5A