United States and FAO provide 9,300MT of urea to Lankan paddy farmers

The United States yesterday officially handed over 9,300 tonnes of urea fertiliser to the Agriculture Ministry to distribute to more than 193,000 smallholder paddy farmers in the Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Monaragala districts. 

The fertiliser, procured by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)  of the United Nations, with funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is the first shipment of the USAID-supported fertiliser assistance, with additional supplies anticipated in the coming months that will reach close to one million farmers across the country. “This fertiliser, provided by the American people, will help Sri Lankan farmers to keep countless Sri Lankan families fed in the months ahead,” said U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung, speaking at a handover event held at the Colombo Port. 

“I know that fertiliser alone will not meet all of Sri Lanka’s needs but this assistance is just one aspect of the United States’ much greater investment in and support for the people and government of Sri Lanka at this challenging time. In total, we’ve announced over US $ 240 million in new assistance and additional loans for small businesses over the last year and we’ll keep at it. Assistance like today’s fertiliser demonstrates America’s goodwill and true commitment to the people of Sri Lanka,” she added. The United States, through the USAID, has provided US $ 46 million in funding to procure essential fertiliser to increase paddy production and avert a food crisis – a portion of which arrived yesterday. 

 This funding will also provide cash assistance to smallholder farmers who have suffered due to low yields over the last two agricultural seasons and on account of the prevailing economic crisis. 

The USAID and its partners have mechanisms in place to monitor and evaluate their work, ensuring that assistance reaches its intended recipients and benefits the vulnerable farming households.  The handover ceremony was attended by Chung, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia Anjali Kaur, FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Vimlendra Sharan and USAID Mission Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Gabriel Grau. Since 1956, the U.S. Government has provided development and humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka to promote a healthy, educated and employed population. The USAID partners with Sri Lanka to foster sustainable and inclusive economic growth, promote inclusivity, strengthen governance and forge a free and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. The USAID also works to improve natural disaster and risk management practices, enhance environmental and climate resilience and improve energy security and sustainability. 

The FAO leads international efforts to defeat hunger. It helps countries modernise and strengthen agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices, making them more sustainable and ensuring food security and nutrition for all. The FAO focuses special attention on developing rural areas, home to the majority of the world’s poor and hungry people.