Presentation by Ranga Pallawala at the monthly journalism workshop held at the Sri Lanka Press Institute.

1. Ecosystem-based Adaptation
Approaches for Improved Food
Security and Climate Resilience
-A learning experience with
traditional cascade tank system,
Kapiriggama (Anuradhapura district)
Sarath Ekanayake

2. About the project
Project aim: Ecosystem based restoration of
Traditional Cascading Tank Systems for Enhanced
Rural Livelihoods and Environmental Services under
changing climate.
Project location: Kapriggama in the Rambewa DS Division
of the Anuradhapura District (Dry Zone)
Project duration: 2013 – 2015
Financial and logistic support: IUCN, Department of
Agrarian Development (DAD)

3. Project location

4. Traditional village tank cascade system
Source.P.B.Darmasena

5. Tank cascade systems
• An ancient irrigation systems in Sri Lanka, since 4th
century B.C. or
before
• It has hydrologically connected series of tanks within the micro (or
meso) catchments of the dry zone landscape
• Purpose is to store, convey and use/reuse water from non
perennial streams
• There are 1166 cascade tank systems in Sri Lanka
• Many are now abandoned due to various reasons
• Meaningful restoration calls for system thinking – Tank cascade
systems (Vs. individual small tanks)
• Project aims to demonstrate the restoration and sustainable
management of small tank cascade system as the fundamental unit

6. General view of tank cascade
ecosystem

7. Socio economic background of
Kapirikkgama cascade area
• 11 villages of 3 Grama Niladhari Divisions
• 594 families
• 26 small tanks and anicuts in the cascade
• Total area cultivable under small irrigation
schemes is 522 ha
• Predominantly rice-based agriculture
• Cultivate only 50%of the available command
area during yala season due to lack of water

8. Objectives
• To demonstrate ecological restoration and
sustainable management of Kapiriggama
cascade tank system for enhanced rural
livelihoods and environmental services under
changing climate.
• To influence policy to consider cascade tank
systems as the basic planning unit for
restoration of small irrigation tanks in the dry
zone of Sri Lanka (ecosystem based climate
change adaptation).

9. • Themes of key activities
– Restoration of tank ecosystem
– Physical restoration of tanks
– Livelihood development, increase productivity
– Strengthening communities & institutions
mechanism
– Developing knowledge base, sharing lessons
learnt

10. Activities and their relevance to climate
change adaptation and/or food security
• Rehabilitation of tank system - Partial desiltation, tank
deepening, changing the geometry of the tank, headworks,
canal and drainage repairs: Increase storage, reduce
evaporation, minimize water losses, flood attenuation,
disaster risk reduction
• Ecosystem and watershed restoration: Increase Carbon
sequestration, increase availability and variety of food,
promote groundwater recharge, increase water yield, create
favorable micro climate, support IPM, provide raw materials
for livelihoods
• Promoting traditional rice/crop varieties Require less inputs,
varieties tolerant to extreme weather conditions, high
nutritional value, minimum soil and water pollution

11. Activities and their relevance to
climate change adaptation and/or
food security (Contd..)
• Study of catchment water balance: Decision making with
real-time data, more accurate predictions, promote
equitable resource sharing
•Home garden improvement: Income generation, increase
availability and variety of food, create resilience for financial
and food crisis, livable micro climate,
•Promoting sustainable agriculture and crop diversification:
Resilience to extreme weather event and pest and
diseases, less inputs, environmentally friendly agriculture,
more nutritious food, less pollution of soil and water

12. Activities and their relevance to
climate change adaptation and/or
food security (Contd..)
-Promoting ecosystem based livelihood development:
Environmental conservation, sustainable use of ecosystems,
resilience to economic pressure
-Promoting livestock and fisheriesBetter nutrition. Income under
crop failure.
-Control of invasive species: Better pasture lands, improved tank
capacity and availability of useful native species.

13. Components of cascade landscape mosaic
components
Village tank
Swamp forests
Pasture lands …….

14. Components of cascade landscape mosaic …
Home gardens
Paddy lands
Chena lands…

15. Salient features of the project
• Promote multi sector & multi stakeholder
involvement with adaptive management
• Consider cascade as the basic management
unit with a natural boundary
• Focus on multiple benefits – ecological, social,
economic, equity, gender etc.
• Use available science as well as traditional
knowledge
• Promote ecosystem as well as social resilience

16. END
• THANK YOU