Amid the current economic difficulties, food insecurity has severely affected the people of Sri Lanka
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Sri Lanka have signed a $200 million emergency assistance loan and a $3 million grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR). This will ensure access to food and protect livelihoods for the poor and the vulnerable, especially women and children. The loan funds have been repurposed from the ongoing ADB portfolio.
Secretary to the Treasury and Ministry of Finance K. M. Mahinda Siriwardana signed the loan agreement for the Government of Sri Lanka and ADB Country Director for Sri Lanka Chen Chen signed on behalf of ADB. The loan signing was witnessed by the Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka Mizukoshi Hideaki.
The assistance will expand direct financial support for the poor and vulnerable while boosting livelihood development activities and agricultural production and enhancing social protection systems.
The project will upgrade information technology systems and digital tools for the Samurdhi program and agriculture and agrarian development to enhance cash grant beneficiary selection, verification, monitoring, and communication, and improve financial, advisory, and other services for low-income families and farmers.
To promote advanced practices and technologies for precision agriculture and improved crop productivity among farmers, especially female farmers, the grant will support the upgrading and delivery of the Good Agricultural Practices certification programme.