Your search found 32 records
1 Aheeyar, Mohamed; Manthrithilake, Herath. 2014. Increasing water related disasters: policy and institutional gaps. In Sri Lanka. Ministry of Disaster Management. Proceedings of the Disaster Management Conference: The future we want- Safer Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 24-26 September 2014. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Ministry of Disaster Management. pp.382-383.
Climate change ; Adaptation ; Natural disasters ; Flooding ; Landslides ; Drought ; Policy making ; Stakeholders ; Institutions / Sri Lanka
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046627)
(0.14 MB)
2 Pittock, J.; Or, S.; Stevens, L.; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Smith, M. 2015. Tackling trade-offs in the nexus of water, energy and food. Aquatic Procedia, 5:58-68. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aqpro.2015.10.008]
Sustainable development ; Irrigation schemes ; Water power ; Institutions ; Living standards ; Stakeholders ; Food security ; Energy ; Community development ; Decision making ; River basins ; Farmers ; Case studies / South East Asia / Thailand / Vietnam / Myanmar / Lao People's Democratic Republic / Sri Lanka / Zimbabwe / Mekong River Basin / Walawe River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047269)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214241X15002862/pdf?md5=0c5aca8412e864901197154dcf0d9fc2&pid=1-s2.0-S2214241X15002862-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H047269.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H047269.pdf
(0.53 MB) (539 KB)
We explore processes that enable effective policies and practices for managing the links between water, energy, and food. Three case studies are assessed at different scales in the Mekong River basin, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. We find that there are considerable opportunities for improving outcomes for sustainable development by finding solutions that accommodate multiple objectives in the nexus. These include making data more publicly available, commissioning independent experts to advise on contested issues, engaging under-represented stakeholders in decision-making, sharing benefits, exploring different perspectives in forums where alternative development options can be tested and engaging decision-makers at different scales.
3 Aheeyar, Mohamed; Padmajani, T. 2015. Technical efficiency of paddy cultivation in anicut schemes in the Walawe Basin. Paper presented at the International Network for Water and Ecosystems in Paddy Fields (INWEPF) Symposium on Achieving the Goals of Food security in Sustainable Paddy Water Ecosystems, Negombo, Sri Lanka, 3-5 November 2015. 12p.
Agricultural production ; Rice ; Cultivation ; Irrigation schemes ; Technological changes ; River basins ; Farmers ; Socioeconomic environment ; Living standards ; Rural population ; Food security ; Case studies / Sri Lanka / Badulla / Ratnapura / Walawe Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047346)
(0.20 MB)
Small run-of-the-river systems (Anicuts) play an important role in irrigated paddy production in Sri Lanka. The total land area under Anicut cultivation is 98,000 ha, benefitting over 333,000 families. Farming under the Anicut schemes is largely smallholder (average 0.3 ha), and the average paddy yield obtained from a hectare of land is about one metric tonne less than the yield of major irrigated areas. As the Anicut schemes are not benefited by reservoirs/storages or major diversions, and are entirely dependent on local rainfall, climate change would make the Anicut farmers more vulnerable. Therefore, increasing efficiency in paddy production is vital to enhancing the productivity and livelihoods of the farmers. This study aimed to measure the farm-level technical efficiency of Anicut farmers in the Walawe Basin. Data collected from162 random farmers in six Anicut schemes in Badulla and Ratnapura districts were used to run the stochastic frontier production function to estimate technical efficiency. Farmer-related exogenous variables causing farm-level variation in technical inefficiency were also assessed. The findings show that the average technical efficiency of the Anicut farmers in Badulla and Ratnapura districts is 65.9% and 74.73%, respectively. This indicates that, in the given mix of inputs used in paddy production, there is a loss of production by 34.1% and 25.27% in Badulla and Ratnapura districts due to inefficiency and allocative errors in the production technique. This paper discusses the determinants of technical efficiency and its relationship with Anicut farmers’ socioeconomic attributes.
4 Aheeyar, Mohamed; Manthrithilake, Herath; Pathmarajah, S. 2016. Drivers of the adoption of farmer-innovated sprinkler irrigation systems: evidence from Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka. Paper presented at the 8th International Perspective on Water Resources and the Environment, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 4-6 January 2016. 14p.
Irrigation systems ; Microirrigation ; Sprinkler irrigation ; Drip irrigation ; Groundwater irrigation ; Farmers ; Crops ; Cultivation ; Labour ; Costs ; Water conservation ; Pumps ; Farmers ; Farming systems ; Energy ; Policy making / Sri Lanka / Kalpitiya
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047399)
(0.83 MB)
Since the 1980s, along with many other countries, Sri Lanka rapidly embraced groundwater irrigation. At the same time, the government, externally funded projects and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) made bold efforts to promote water-saving technologies, such as drip and sprinkler irrigation systems, among farmers, but achieved little or no success. Despite the continuous failure in the promotion of 'professionally designed', micro-irrigation systems across the country, grassroots innovations have emerged. These locally initiated endeavors, mainly in sprinkler irrigation, have been adopted comfortably and competently by the farmers themselves without any external assistance. Farmers in the Kalpitiya Peninsula have adopted this technology within a few years. This paper presents the 'drivers' behind this spontaneous 'irrigation revolution' that has occurred in the peninsula. The findings indicate that the adoption of sprinkler irrigation in this groundwater-based agricultural ecosystem has brought in tremendous changes to agricultural practices, and also to the lifestyles and livelihoods of the people living in the area. These positive and desirable results have been obtained with zero subsidy provision, and without any external inputs from the government or NGOs. Adoption of this sprinkler system for irrigation has increased the net sown area, net irrigated area and cropping intensity, resulting in significant economic returns and welfare gains. The low-cost sprinkler innovations are considered as an input cost that is recoverable within a year or two, rather than a long-term capital investment. The main drivers of this technological shift are (i) significant reduction in the cost of irrigation due to lower expenditure on labor and energy; (ii) user-friendly and affordable technology; (iii) easy to assemble, install and manage (operation and maintenance); (iv) easy access to components and spare parts (locally available); (v) potential to cultivate high-value cash crops; (vi) environmental context of the area (high number of rainless days, year-round availability of groundwater resources, low water-holding capacity of sandy soil); and (vii) immediate connection to markets through mobile phones and improved road networks. Promotion of micro-irrigation exclusively as a water-saving technology, as done in the past, is not a motive for farmers to adopt micro-irrigation systems. This is particularly the case where farmers do not recognize water scarcity as a 'real constraint'. Conserving water and sustainable management of the resource, at least for the time being, is not factored in farmers decision making.
5 Aheeyar, Mohamed; Manthrithilake, Herath; Pathmarajah, S.; Makin, Ian W. 2016. Groundwater development through sprinkler irrigation: consequences of a lack of a governance structure in Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka. In Pathmarajah, S. (Ed.). Symposium Proceedings of Groundwater Availability and Use in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 22 July 2016. Peradeniya, Sri Lanka: Cap-Net Lanka; University of Peradeniya. Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture (PGIA). pp.115-127.
Groundwater development ; Groundwater depletion ; Groundwater irrigation ; Water resources ; Water use efficiency ; Water demand ; Water scarcity ; Sprinkler irrigation ; Irrigation efficiency ; Irrigation water ; Governance ; Farmers ; Farming systems ; Cropping systems ; Intensification ; Living standards ; Arid zones ; Cultivated land ; Aquifers / Sri Lanka / Kalpitiya
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048018)
Groundwater provides nearly 100 % of the water supplies in some districts of Sri Lanka and is a major source of domestic water in all other districts. However, the resource remains largely neglected and invisible to society and policymakers. Groundwater offers the advantage of being a more reliable and readily available resource for agriculture, and offers the basis for a ‘silent revolution’ in many areas. A groundwater-supported agricultural boom has, while imparting a large number of benefits, created its own set of obstinate problems, including over-exploitation and depletion of groundwater resources. In some districts, over-exploitation is putting the livelihoods of farmers that have come to depend on groundwater resources in jeopardy.
Micro-irrigation technologies have been widely promoted as a means of reducing water demand by enhancing farm-level water-use efficiency. These technologies are proven to improve irrigation uniformity; increase irrigation application efficiency, by reducing soil evaporation and seepage losses; and increase crop productivity. It is assumed that using these technologies will enable water to be reallocated for other uses. The Government of Sri Lanka has made repeated attempts to promote micro-irrigation as a means of improving irrigation performance to minimize water scarcity in areas of the Dry Zone. These attempts have involved providing substantial heavy subsidies, but have met with little success in terms of adoption of ‘professionally designed’ installations. However, in Kalpitiya, farmers have adopted a locally designed sprinkler technology within a short period of time without subsidies and professional design inputs.
This paper reviews the evolving agricultural boom as a result of groundwater and sprinkler irrigation that has occurred on the Kalpitiya peninsula. The development of a farmer-led sprinkler technology is assessed with reference to improving livelihoods of the people, and the potential consequences on sustainable management of groundwater resources. The experiences in Kalpitiya show that, in the absence of effective groundwater governance and policies, supported with appropriate institutions, micro-irrigation has enabled the expansion of the cultivated area and crop intensification. This has increased, rather than decreased, net water use on the peninsula. The estimated increase in water withdrawals is 14,490 m3/ha /y. This indicates that promoting efficient technologies alone is not sufficient to achieve water savings, which requires control of overall abstractions and recharge levels to stabilize aquifer storage. In the absence of an appropriate regulatory framework and lack of political will to manage groundwater, it is recommended that the social framework and community governance arrangements are developed and strengthened to enable sustainable use of groundwater resources.
Micro-irrigation technologies have been widely promoted as a means of reducing water demand by enhancing farm-level water-use efficiency. These technologies are proven to improve irrigation uniformity; increase irrigation application efficiency, by reducing soil evaporation and seepage losses; and increase crop productivity. It is assumed that using these technologies will enable water to be reallocated for other uses. The Government of Sri Lanka has made repeated attempts to promote micro-irrigation as a means of improving irrigation performance to minimize water scarcity in areas of the Dry Zone. These attempts have involved providing substantial heavy subsidies, but have met with little success in terms of adoption of ‘professionally designed’ installations. However, in Kalpitiya, farmers have adopted a locally designed sprinkler technology within a short period of time without subsidies and professional design inputs.
This paper reviews the evolving agricultural boom as a result of groundwater and sprinkler irrigation that has occurred on the Kalpitiya peninsula. The development of a farmer-led sprinkler technology is assessed with reference to improving livelihoods of the people, and the potential consequences on sustainable management of groundwater resources. The experiences in Kalpitiya show that, in the absence of effective groundwater governance and policies, supported with appropriate institutions, micro-irrigation has enabled the expansion of the cultivated area and crop intensification. This has increased, rather than decreased, net water use on the peninsula. The estimated increase in water withdrawals is 14,490 m3/ha /y. This indicates that promoting efficient technologies alone is not sufficient to achieve water savings, which requires control of overall abstractions and recharge levels to stabilize aquifer storage. In the absence of an appropriate regulatory framework and lack of political will to manage groundwater, it is recommended that the social framework and community governance arrangements are developed and strengthened to enable sustainable use of groundwater resources.
6 Otoo, Miriam; Fernando, Sudarshana; Jayathilake, Nilanthi; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Madurangi, Ganesha. 2016. Opportunities for sustainable municipal solid waste management services in Batticaloa: business strategies for improved resource recovery. [Project report submitted to United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) as a part of the research project on Opportunities for Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management Services in Batticaloa: Business Strategies for Improved Rresource Recovery and Reuse] Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 71p.
Urban wastes ; Waste management ; Solid wastes ; Resource recovery ; Composting ; Local authorities ; Health hazards ; Waste water treatment plants ; Organic wastes ; Waste disposal ; Urban wastes ; Food wastes ; Curing ; Business management ; Market economics ; Assessment ; Farmer participation ; Organic fertilizers ; Nutrients ; Cost recovery ; Financial situation ; Profitability ; Price fixing ; Capacity building ; Training / Sri Lanka / Batticaloa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048062)
(4.41 MB)
7 Samad, Madar; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Royo-Olid, J.; Arulingam, Indika. 2017. The political and institutional context of the water sector in Sri Lanka: an overview. Luxembourg, Europe: European Union. 92p.
Water resources ; Political aspects ; Corporate culture ; Macroeconomics ; Local government ; Economic aspects ; Water use ; Water productivity ; Water supply ; Water quality ; Water power ; Water policy ; Water budget ; Food production ; Sanitation ; Chronic course ; Kidney diseases ; Aetiology ; Environmental management ; Legal aspects ; Financial institutions ; Public investment ; State intervention ; Public administration ; Nongovernmental organizations ; Government departments ; European Union / Sri Lanka
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H048221)
(2.37 MB)
8 de Silva, Sanjiv; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Arulingam, Indika; Manthrithilake, Herath. 2018. The new water: opportunities and challenges of the rise to prominence of groundwater in Sri Lanka in the face of socioeconomic and climatic change. In Mukherjee, A. (Ed.). Groundwater of South Asia. Berlin, Germany: Springer. pp.759-799.
Climatic change ; Climate change adaptation ; Socioeconomic environment ; Groundwater management ; Water governance ; Water availability ; Precipitation ; Rain ; Surface water ; Land area ; Dry season ; Rice ; Rainwater ; Water harvesting ; Water storage ; Water resources ; Irrigation water ; Irrigation schemes ; Seasonal cropping ; Poverty / Sri Lanka
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048817)
(0.73 MB)
Overall high annual precipitation in Sri Lanka belies significant spatial and temporal variation in surface water availability. The ‘dry zone’ comprising two-third of Sri Lanka’s land area receives significantly less rainfall and has high precipitation rates and a five-month dry season. Nevertheless, these regions account for the majority of rice production, the staple crop, thanks largely to the ancient hydraulic civilization based on networks of rainwater harvesting (irrigation) tanks. This manipulation of surface water resources including modern surface irrigation schemes continues to form the backbone of dry zone farming. Groundwater irrigation has remained in the shadows except in the North where surface flows are absent. This scenario is now changing as population growth; poorly maintained infrastructure; commercial agriculture; sectoral competition for water and climate change combine to exert severe pressure on surface water resources. Since the dry zone is also home to a large number of Sri Lanka’s poor households, and a close association exists between high poverty clusters and access to irrigation, the implications of water insecurity for a range of poverty indicators are clear. Not surprisingly, these pressures have prompted an increasing recourse to groundwater in several parts of the dry zone, as governments and farmers recognize the imperative to increase agriculture output, promote crop diversification, and improve agrarian incomes. Yet, with limited groundwater potential, limited detailed knowledge of this resource, and under-developed groundwater-oriented institutions, it is far from certain whether future groundwater exploitation can steer away from anarchy.
9 Aheeyar, Mohamed; Manthrithilake, Herath; Ranasinghe, Chathuranga; Rengaraj, Manooj; Gamagedara, Yasas; Barron, Jennie. 2019. Mechanizing water lifting through pumps: a case study in Sri Lanka. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 61p. (IWMI Working Paper 188) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2019.206]
Water lifting ; Water supply ; Water management ; Water quality ; Water scarcity ; Pumps ; Agricultural credit ; Small scale farming ; Market prices ; Hydrological factors ; Farmers ; Investment ; Taxes ; Tariffs ; Wells ; Irrigation programs ; Microirrigation ; State intervention ; Groundwater extraction ; Groundwater irrigation ; Cultivated land ; Seasonal cropping ; Intensification ; Women’s participation ; Case studies / Sri Lanka / Mahaweli H System / Thirappane / Medawachchiya / Karadiyan Aru
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H049141)
(2.20 MB)
A reliable supply of water is critical for agricultural intensification and yield improvement. Technological devices that lift, transport and apply water contribute to increased yield from improved crop varieties and high input cultivation. The increasing use of motor pumps is a significant contribution to the development of small-scale irrigation. The objective of this study was to identify and analyze the trajectories of technological innovations and uptake for agricultural water management in farming systems in Sri Lanka, with a special focus on identifying impacts, emerging issues and potential responses to the rapid proliferation of motor pumps in the intensification of agriculture in the country. The Government of Sri Lanka promoted the rapid adoption of water pumps through interventions such as the development of groundwater wells for agriculture; provision of subsidies and credit facilities for purchasing micro-irrigation equipment; and government policies on tax, tariffs and extension support. At the same time, the high profit margin realized from cash crop cultivation motivated farmers to invest in water lifting and related technologies. Finally, water scarcity and restrictions on the use of surface water, i.e., canals, prompted a shift to using water-lifting technologies to pump groundwater. The use of water pumps in agriculture has expanded the area under cultivation; increased cropping intensity, especially during the dry seasons; changed the cropping pattern from low-return rice cultivation to high-return cash crop cultivation; and enhanced household incomes. Expanded and intensified cultivation has provided more opportunities for women to participate in agriculture, generating additional income, and enhancing their purchasing power and decision-making at the household level. Some farmers do not have groundwater wells and water pumps because they lack the necessary capital to make the initial investment. Smallholder farmers, in particular, are reluctant to risk their limited income on new technologies. This may lead to the further marginalization of poor farmers. Inclusive intensification will require helping farmers to access irrigation technology, for example, through carefully targeted subsidies and access to credit. Using water pumps can provide benefits to both users and non-users, but uncontrolled groundwater extraction may also create new problems by putting enormous pressure on common property resources. The government will need to take on a dual role to both promote the inclusive growth of small-scale irrigation, and to prevent and mitigate its negative environmental impacts. This second role may include establishing a regulatory system, setting standards for well construction, and monitoring and enforcing standards on extraction and water quality. There is an urgent need for institutional measures and governance arrangements to guide and regulate groundwater irrigation, especially in the context of intensive cultivation using shallow aquifers.
10 Ananda, J.; Aheeyar, Mohamed. 2020. An evaluation of groundwater institutions in India: a property rights perspective. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 22(6):5731-5749. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-019-00448-8]
Groundwater management ; Water institutions ; Evaluation ; Water governance ; Property rights ; Water rights ; Water use ; Water market ; Transaction costs ; Groundwater extraction ; Water policy ; Aquifers ; Groundwater recharge ; Surface water ; Energy ; Nexus ; Conjunctive use ; Land rights ; Social aspects ; Cooperation ; Models ; Economic analysis / South Asia / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049313)
(0.74 MB)
Groundwater governance has become an intractable policy issue, which has many implications for the living standards and well-being of millions of rural poor in South Asia. Groundwater governance is complex as it is influenced by various hydrogeological, sociopolitical and socioeconomic factors. Unregulated groundwater extraction rates in South Asia have depleted the aquifers causing a raft of socioeconomic, environmental and human health problems. This paper analyzes de facto rights in groundwater markets and other emerging ‘groundwater-sharing institutional arrangements’ in India. Using a multi-dimensional property rights model, the paper decomposes de facto groundwater rights while drawing insights and broad policy lessons. The findings indicate that there is much scope for enhancing the ‘small group groundwater sharing’ governed by social regulatory measures. Moreover, distortionary subsidies for agriculture in general and groundwater development, in particular, have had an adverse impact of the resource use and merit further attention.
11 Aheeyar, Mohamed; de Silva, Sanjiv; Senaratna Sellamuttu, Sonali; Arulingam, Indika. 2019. Unpacking barriers to socially inclusive weather index insurance: towards a framework for inclusion. Water, 11(11):2235. (Special issue: Selected Papers from 2019 World Water Week) [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/w11112235]
Weather hazards ; Agricultural insurance ; Flooding ; Climate change ; Resilience ; Gender equity ; Gender equality ; Women ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Socioeconomic environment ; Landlessness ; Strategies ; Microfinance ; Nongovernmental organizations ; Case studies ; Villages / India / Bangladesh / Bihar / Sirajganj
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049374)
(0.29 MB) (296 KB)
Floods account for a majority of disasters, especially in South Asia, where they affect 27 million people annually, causing economic losses of over US$1 billion. Climate change threatens to exacerbate these risks. Risk transfer mechanisms, such as weather index insurance (WII) may help buffer farmers against these hazards. However, WII programs struggle to attract the clients most in need of protection, including marginalized women and men. This risks re-enforcing existing inequalities and missing opportunities to promote pro-poor and gender-sensitive development. Key questions, therefore, include what factors constrain access to WIIs amongst heterogeneous communities, and how these can be addressed. This paper contributes to that end through primary data from two WII case studies (one in India, the other in Bangladesh) that identify contextual socio-economic and structural barriers to accessing WII, and strategies to overcome these. More significantly, this paper synthesizes the case study findings and those from a review of the literature on other WII initiatives into a framework to promote a systematic approach to address these challenges: an important step forward in moving from problem analysis to remedial action. The framework highlights actions across WII product design, implementation and post-implementation, to minimize risks of social exclusion in future WII schemes.
12 Aheeyar, Mohamed; de Silva, Sanjiv; Senaratna Sellamuttu, Sonali. 2019. Pilot evaluation of the Index Based Flood Insurance in Bihar, India: lessons of experiences. Technical report. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE). 31p.
Flooding ; Crop insurance ; Evaluation ; Farmers' attitudes ; Weather hazards ; Risk reduction ; Rice ; Cultivation ; Cost benefit analysis ; Household income ; Villages ; Socioeconomic environment ; Gender ; Women ; Awareness raising ; Decision making ; Local organizations / India / Bihar
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049475)
(1.80 MB)
13 Reitemeier, Maren; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Drechsel, Pay. 2021. Perceptions of food waste reduction in Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, Colombo. Sustainability, 13(2):838. (Special issue: Sustainable Food Waste Management in Foodservice Establishments) [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020838]
Food wastes ; Waste reduction ; Strategies ; Waste management ; Food surplus ; Waste treatment ; Recycling ; Resource recovery ; Urban areas ; Landfills ; Stakeholders ; Local authorities ; Awareness raising ; Training ; Policies ; Livestock feed ; Sustainable Development Goals / South Asia / Sri Lanka / Colombo
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050177)
(3.20 MB) (3.20 MB)
In 2019, Sri Lanka introduced two policies that referred to food waste and the need to reduce it. To understand key stakeholders’ readiness in this context, this study analyzed the food waste perceptions of private and public sectors in Colombo (open markets, supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, canteens, food caterers and key authorities). Interviews were carried out with operational managers and public officials, as well as other stakeholders who have roles in food waste redistribution and reuse, such as NGOs and the livestock sector. So far, the food-waste-related policy recommendations lack an operational inter-institutional home which can build on measures, like standards, regulations and incentives. Thus, most food waste reduction initiatives are initiated by NGOs or by the private sector, e.g., by larger hotels and supermarket chains. These entities were ready to lead by example, based on the understanding that urban food waste is an internal (financial) management challenge. Among smaller local entities, food waste was perceived more as an external issue to be handled by the city’s waste collection services. Although perceptions varied between entities generating smaller or larger quantities of food waste, there was general agreement that suboptimal capacities and mechanisms to quantify, monitor and cost food waste generation appeared to be obstacles for in-depth awareness creation and action. There was significant interest in communication platforms for cross-sectoral learning, win/win collaborations with reliable collection (reuse) services that are currently operational, such as those provided by piggeries, as well as surplus redistribution initiatives if food safety and related liabilities can be addressed effectively.
14 Amarasinghe, Upali A.; Amarnath, Giriraj; Alahacoon, Niranga; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Chandrasekharan, Kiran; Ghosh, Surajit; Nakada, Toru. 2021. Adaptation to climate variability in Sri Lanka: a case study of the Huruluwewa Irrigation System in the Dry Zone. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 30p. (IWMI Working Paper 200) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2021.229]
Climate variability ; Climate change adaptation ; Irrigation systems ; Arid zones ; Tank irrigation ; Irrigation canals ; Irrigation management ; Land use ; Cropping patterns ; Water supply ; Water depletion ; Crop production ; Water use efficiency ; Irrigation efficiency ; Water productivity ; Water availability ; Drought ; Rainfall patterns ; Risk ; Resilience ; Water scarcity ; Water management ; Reservoirs ; Water spreading ; Catchment areas ; Water storage ; Groundwater recharge ; Water accounting ; Water policies ; Seasonal cropping ; Diversification ; Crop water use ; Consumptive use ; Farmers ; Farm income ; Remote sensing ; Geographical information systems ; Case studies / Sri Lanka / India / North Central Province / Huruluwewa Irrigation System / Sina Irrigation System
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H050737)
(7.75 MB)
This paper assesses how the Huruluwewa tank (HWT) irrigation system in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka adapts to climate variability. The lessons learned in the HWT will be helpful for many water-scarce irrigation systems in the country, which bear high climate risks. Recurrent droughts are the bane of agriculture in the Dry Zone, comprising three-fourths of the land area spread over the Northern, North Central and Eastern provinces. In the HWT, the fifteenth largest canal irrigation system in the country, adaptation to climate variability happens on several fronts: changes made by the irrigation management to the water release regime; changes in the cropping patterns practiced by farmers in the command area; and the use of groundwater, which is recharged from rainfall, reservoir storage and canal irrigation, as supplemental irrigation. Such adaptation measures ensure that the available water supply in the reservoir is adequate for 100% cropping intensity over two cropping seasons, even in drought years, and enhances economic water productivity in terms of value per unit of consumptive water use. Moreover, irrigation management should consider groundwater recharge through canal irrigation as a resource, which brings substantial agricultural and economic benefits not only for the command area but also outside the command area. The adaptation patterns implemented in HWT demonstrate how water-scarce irrigation systems can achieve higher economic water productivity, i.e., generate ‘more income per drop’ to enhance climate resilience for people in and outside the canal command areas.
15 Jayathilake, Nilanthi; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Drechsel, Pay. 2021. Reuse of food waste as animal feed in Sri Lanka. In Malathy, P.; Kajanthy, S.; Rukshani, P.; Sarmatha, P. (Eds.). Proceedings of the Vavuniya University International Research Conference (VUIRC) 2021 on Human Empowerment Through Research Excellence, Virtual Conference, 15 October 2021. Vavuniya, Sri Lanka: University of Vavuniya. pp.51-55.
Food wastes ; Reuse ; Livestock feed ; Organic wastes ; Regulations ; Safety ; Guidelines ; Piggeries ; Farmers ; Periurban areas / Sri Lanka / Colombo / Gampaha / Kalutara
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050788)
https://vau.ac.lk/VUIRC-2021/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/VUIRC-Proceedings.pdf#page=78
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050788.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050788.pdf
(0.29 MB) (20.6 MB)
The use of food waste (FW) from food services as animal feed through informal agreements has been in practice for many years in Sri Lanka. However, data to show the scale of this practice are inadequate. This paper aims to study the extent of FW diverted to piggeries and the opportunities and challenges in reusing FW as animal feed. The data were collected via telephonic survey from 24 piggery farmers in the Western Province in May 2020. Results revealed that 50% of farmers were rearing 100-300 pigs. Farmers used FW as a major feed source to satisfy 82% of total feed requirement on an average. About 40% of the farmers collected the FW from multiple sources such as hotels, restaurants and canteens. Given that the piggery farms are located in peri-urban areas, the average distance traveled by the farmers is 38 km up and down which indicated the value of FW for them. FW was supplied mostly free of charge; however, 26% of the farmers pay LKR 2 to 40/kg when supplied by intermediaries. FW was collected daily, and the amount collected by the farmers varies 50 to 10000 kg/day depending on demand and supply, with 75% of farmers collected less than 1000 kg/day.
16 Aheeyar, Mohamed; Samarakoon, Kalani; de Silva, Sanjiv. 2021. Bundled weather index insurance pilot for drought-affected areas in Sri Lanka: reaching marginal farmers. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 35p. (IWMI Working Paper 201) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2021.233]
Weather index insurance ; Crop insurance ; Drought ; Pilot projects ; Farmers organizations ; Advisory services ; Awareness-raising ; Arid zones ; Climate change ; Crop losses ; Compensation ; Risk transfer ; Disaster risk reduction ; Resilience ; Decision making ; Insurance premiums ; Cost benefit analysis ; Equity ; Stakeholders ; Partnerships ; Gender ; Women ; Smallholders ; Landlessness ; Communities ; Households ; Socioeconomic environment ; Mobile phones ; Models / Sri Lanka / North Central Province / Galenbindunuwewa / Dunumadalawa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H050840)
(3.07 MB)
Drought is an almost annual phenomenon in Sri Lanka, occurring at varying degrees of severity and affecting many parts of the country. These droughts cause significant damage to agriculture and other economic and social activities. This paper assesses the effectiveness of satellite-based weather Index insurance (WII) bundled with real-time climate and agronomic advisory services provided to farmers’ mobile phones. The aim is to enhance the drought resilience of diverse groups of farmers by providing solutions and strategies to extend bundled insurance products to more people and address equity issues.
In this pilot, an insurance product was introduced to farmers in a village in the North Central Dry Zone of Sri Lanka. WII products are seen as a part of the solution to reducing farmers’ risk to climate change. However, in many places, the structure of insurance schemes in the agriculture sector has failed to reach small-scale and marginal farmers who are most in need of risk transfer mechanisms. Based on a farmer survey, we extracted lessons from implementing a bundled insurance scheme as a pilot project to explore the utility of farmer organizations as an entry point for engaging different farmer groups and ensuring they can understand the WII insurance products and can make informed choices.
The survey results show that efforts made at the outset to understand contextual issues and challenges contributed to an effective product design and rollout approach. The rollout was more effective due in part to a partnership with an established local organization while adopting an aggregator model. Covid-19 mobility restrictions prevented full implementation of the rollout.
Index insurance bundled with mobile weather and agronomic advisories increased farmer resilience and reached diverse groups. Farmers emphasized that being able to assess the costs and benefits based on understanding how key elements of the product work is key to their future engagement with such products, which highlights the importance of investing in awareness raising through a blend of print, verbal and visual tools that make complex products understandable to stakeholders with low levels of literacy.
In this pilot, an insurance product was introduced to farmers in a village in the North Central Dry Zone of Sri Lanka. WII products are seen as a part of the solution to reducing farmers’ risk to climate change. However, in many places, the structure of insurance schemes in the agriculture sector has failed to reach small-scale and marginal farmers who are most in need of risk transfer mechanisms. Based on a farmer survey, we extracted lessons from implementing a bundled insurance scheme as a pilot project to explore the utility of farmer organizations as an entry point for engaging different farmer groups and ensuring they can understand the WII insurance products and can make informed choices.
The survey results show that efforts made at the outset to understand contextual issues and challenges contributed to an effective product design and rollout approach. The rollout was more effective due in part to a partnership with an established local organization while adopting an aggregator model. Covid-19 mobility restrictions prevented full implementation of the rollout.
Index insurance bundled with mobile weather and agronomic advisories increased farmer resilience and reached diverse groups. Farmers emphasized that being able to assess the costs and benefits based on understanding how key elements of the product work is key to their future engagement with such products, which highlights the importance of investing in awareness raising through a blend of print, verbal and visual tools that make complex products understandable to stakeholders with low levels of literacy.
17 Aheeyar, Mohamed; Jayathilake, Nilanthi; Bandara, A.; Bucatariu, C.; Reitemeier, M.; Drechsel, Pay. 2021. Urban stakeholder analysis for food waste prevention and reduction in Sri Lanka. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE). 62p.
Food wastes ; Waste reduction ; Stakeholder analysis ; Waste management ; Urban areas ; Municipal authorities ; Local authorities ; Solid wastes ; Food production ; Policies ; Institutions / Sri Lanka / Colombo / Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte / Kaduwela / Moratuwa / Negombo / Kandy / Galle / Jaffna / Kurunegala / Batticaloa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050833)
https://waterdata.iwmi.org/applications/sanitaion/reports/Report%20Institutions_First%20draft.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050833.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050833.pdf
(1.33 MB) (1.33 MB)
18 Aheeyar, Mohamed; Jayathilake, Nilanthi; Bucatariu, C.; Reitemeier, M.; Bandara, A.; Thiel, Felix; Drechsel, Pay. 2021. Governance analysis for urban-wholesale-to-household’s food waste prevention and reduction in Sri Lanka. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE). 42p.
Food wastes ; Waste reduction ; Governance ; Frameworks ; Urban areas ; Household wastes ; Wholesale markets ; Waste management ; Guidelines ; Legislation ; Policies ; Food safety ; Nutrition ; Climate change ; Institutions / Sri Lanka
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050834)
https://waterdata.iwmi.org/applications/sanitaion/reports/Report%20Policy-%20second%20draft.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050834.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050834.pdf
(1.15 MB) (1.15 MB)
19 Jayathilake, Nilanthi; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Drechsel, Pay. 2022. Food waste to livestock feed: prospects and challenges for swine farming in peri-urban Sri Lanka. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 2(4):1301-1315. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-022-00168-8]
Food wastes ; Livestock feed ; Swine feeding ; Piggeries ; Periurban areas ; Circular economy ; Recycling ; Reuse ; Regulations ; Biosafety ; Business models ; Food security ; Farmers / Sri Lanka / Western Province / Colombo / Gampaha / Kalutara
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051036)
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s43615-022-00168-8.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051036.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051036.pdf
(0.73 MB) (749 KB)
Using farm animals for their natural capability of “recycling” food waste (FW) that is unfit for direct human consumption can support a circular economy as shown in the case of Sri Lanka’s Western Province. The reuse of organic residues including FW as animal feed is a traditional agricultural practice in Sri Lanka but is less studied within an urban FW context. A survey of piggeries using FW in and around the rapidly urbanizing city of Colombo showed that FW is a major feed source in the farms accounting for on average 82% of total feed. About 40% of the farms collected the FW mainly from hotels, restaurants, and institutional canteens. Urban FW is supplied to farmers free of charge when collected directly from the sources, although 26% of the farmers collected FW via intermediaries against a fee. As FW is collected daily, the restaurants appreciate the reliable service, the farmers the low-cost feed, and the municipality the reduced FW volumes to be collected. However, this triple-win situation encounters challenges such as (tourist related) seasonal low supply, which was exacerbated under the Covid-19 lockdown of food services. Another area of concern refers to biosafety. Although the large majority of interviewed farmers boil FW which contains raw meat or fish, there is a paucity of related guidelines and control. Given the benefits of FW use, it is worthwhile to explore how far these informal partnerships could be scaled without increasing transport costs for farmers, while introducing biosafety monitoring. For now, the regulatory environment is highly siloed and does not support material transitions across sector boundaries towards a circular economy.
20 Aheeyar, Mohamed; Drechsel, Pay. 2022. The cost of the food we waste: how to change behaviours?. Urban Agriculture Magazine, 38:68.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051319)
https://ruaf.org/assets/2022/08/RUAF-UAM-38-Magazine-July2022-web.pdf#page=35
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051319.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051319.pdf
(0.15 MB) (4.34 MB)
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