The World Bank’s latest situation report (2022) indicates that malnutrition among Sri Lanka’s rural population is a major health risk.
Faced with political instability, economic turmoil and the effects of climate change, small farmers in particular are victims of the vicious circle of poverty.
In addition, the lack of transfer of appropriate technologies in agriculture and livestock and the lack of knowledge about the agri-food sector reduce the possibilities for increasing income potential.
Health risks (e.g., chronic kidney disease and malnutrition) resulting from unsustainable agricultural practices (e.g., use of high-dose fertilizers and pesticides) and changing rainfall patterns due to climate change, make it difficult for farmers to continue farming.
The overall objective of the ESSE project is to enable smallholder farmers, small and medium enterprises in the agri-food sector to adopt good environmentally friendly agricultural practices through an integrated vocational training system to achieve inclusive rural development in Sri Lanka.
Natural resources and ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, agrobiodiversity, natural insect repellents, and ecological soil regeneration will be used to provide healthy food for the population while protecting soil, water, and air for future generations.
In the first phase of the project, fallow land (about 0.8 hectares) will be converted into an economic center based on a sustainable model farm.
The village community “Meegasthenna Sustainability Development Society” as a collaborative partner in the village helps with a lot of engagement in the construction of the model farm and the project is under the supervision of the Kegalle District Secretariat as the responsible regional state authority.
Project executing organization: Grüne Schule grenzenlos e.V.
Project partner: Peoples Development Foundation – Sri Lanka
Funding year: since 2023
Project no.: 189-23 ro/A