US provides 9,300 MT of fertilizer to paddy farmers in Sri Lanka

• “Assistance like today’s fertilizer demonstrates America’s goodwill and true commitment to the people of Sri Lanka,” says US Ambassador Julie Chung

The United States officially handed over9,300  tonnes of urea fertilizer to the Ministry of Agriculture to distribute to  more than 193,000 smallholder paddy farmers in Jaffna, Mullaitivu,  Mannar, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Monaragala  districts, a statement from the US Embassy said. 

The  fertilizer, procured by FAO with funding from the U.S. Agency for  International Development (USAID), is the first shipment of USAID-supported  fertilizer assistance, with additional supplies anticipated in the coming  months that will reach close to one million farmers across the country.

“This fertilizer, 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 fertilizer 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 $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 fertilizer demonstrates America’s goodwill and  true commitment to the people of Sri Lanka.”

“Sri Lankan paddy farmers are capable of  feeding the country and we are working to ensure that they have the inputs  needed to support their livelihood and strengthen the food security of the  country. We thank the U.S. government and FAO for their support in ensuring  that vulnerable farmers receive essential fertilizer free of charge,”  said Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amaraweera.

 The United States, through USAID, has provided $46 million in  funding to procure essential fertilizer to increase paddy production and  avert a food crisis - a portion of which arrived today.

 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. 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.  

“We are delivering on a commitment we made to  reach smallholder paddy farmers with much-needed fertilizer during the  planting season to increase their yield and harvests. This is part of our  support to Sri Lankans during this complex emergency to ensure they lead  healthier and more productive lives,” said Anjali Kaur, USAID’s Deputy  Assistant Administrator of the Asia Bureau who is currently visiting Sri  Lanka.

“As  FAO, we believe that saving livelihoods saves lives. The 9,300 tons of urea  procured through USAID will ensure smallholder farmers take to productive  agriculture practices and are able to meet their food and nutrition  requirements in these extremely difficult days the country faces.

 We thank  the U.S. Government for its support in this endeavour and look forward to  working with USAID in taking Sri Lankan agriculture forward” stated Mr  Vimlendra Sharan, Country Director of FAO. 

Today’s handover  ceremony was attended by the United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie  Chung; Sri Lanka’s Minister of Agriculture (MoA), Mahinda Amaraweera; USAID’s Deputy Assistant Administrator for  Asia, Anjali Kaur; FAO  Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Mr Vimlendra Sharan; and USAID  Mission Director for Sri Lanka and Maldives, Gabriel Grau. 

• In total, we’ve announced over $240 million in new assistance and  additional loans for small businesses over the last year