This document summarizes a project in Sri Lanka to strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers to climate variability and extreme events through integrated water management. It discusses (1) observed climatic changes in Sri Lanka with warming temperatures and increased rainfall variability, (2) mapping of district vulnerability to climate change, (3) the project objective to strengthen resilience through improved water management, and (4) the three main project outputs including upgrading village irrigation systems, enhancing decentralized water supply, and strengthening climate/hydrological observing and forecasting systems.

1. Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment
RESILIENCE OF SMALLHOLDER FARMERS TO CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND
EXTREME EVENTS THROUGH AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO WATER MANAGEMENT
CLIMATE RESILIENT INTEGRATED
WATER MANAGEMENT PROJECTCRIWMP

2. Observed Climatic Changes
Source: Zubair et. al. 2005
Anuradhapura
0.024 – 0.026
Badulla
0.022 – 0.024
Temperature: Warming trends 1961 - 2000 Rainfall: No significant change in Mean Annual Rainfall Amount
MAHA
North-East
Monsoon
(Dec – Feb)
reduced and
Variability
increased
YALA
South-West
Monsoon
(May – Sept)
stable
Source: Eriyagama 2009

3. Vulnerability
Sri Lanka Mapping by District: UNDP / DOA 2013
(The rankings of Districts are based on exposure, sensitivity
and adaptive capacity to climate change)
District Rank
Mullaitivu 25
Vavuniya 25
Ratnapura 23
Puttlam 22
Mannar 21
Killinochchi 20
Kurunegala 19
Anuradhapura 18
District Rank
Monaragala 17
Polonnaruwa 16
Batticaloa 15
Hambantota 14
Badulla 13
Ampara 12
N’Eliya 11
Kandy 10
District Rank
Tincomallee 9
Matale 8
Kalutara 6
Matara 5
Galle 4
Gampaha 3
Colombo 2
Kegalle 1

4. Build the resilience of the
poor like Ganga (36, mother
of 4 children in Kurunegala in
the Dry Zone) and her family
and those in vulnerable
situations to climate related
extreme events and disasters.
Project Objective
To strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers,
particularly women, in the Dry Zone through improved
water management to enhance lives and livelihoods

5. Output 1
Upgrading village irrigation systems and promoting
climate resilient farming practices in three river basins of
the Dry Zone

6. Project Areas: Village Irrigation Systems
• Selections and plans;
• Feasibility showed VIS to be more vulnerable
• Three river basins; Mi, Malwathu and Yan Oya.
• Selection criteria included the Vulnerable
districts to climate change, CKDu, and high
incidence of Village Irrigation Systems
• Includes restoration of watersheds,
rehabilitation of irrigation facilities, climate-
smart and ecological agriculture, marketing
improvements etc. etc.
• About 325 Village Tanks will be improved

7. Output 2
Enhancing decentralized water supply and management
solutions to provide access to safe drinking water to
vulnerable communities

8. Project Areas: Drinking Water
Drinking water solutions include;
•35 small scale community managed water supply
schemes with simple treatment
•4000 Rain Water Harvesting Schemes
•Advanced filtering systems/RO: Large (10
m3/day)-70, small (m3/d) 55

9. Output 3
Strengthening climate/weather and hydrological
observing, forecasting and water management systems to
enhance adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers to
droughts and floods

10. Project Areas: Weather / Climate Forecasting
Infrastructure;
•05 Agro-meteorological stations
•10 Automatic rainfall stations
•50 water level sensors at sub-watershed level
•330 manual water level and rainfall stations at
Village Tank level
•08 stream gauges+ rainfall recorders at identified
flood-vulnerable locations in the basin
•Flood inundation mapping and data transmission/
information sharing
•Support for 02 operation centers at DAD an ID

11. COMPONENT OUTPUTS GCF Grant
(USD, Million)
GoSL Grant
(USD, Million)
Budget
(USD, Million)
1 Upgrading village irrigation systems (including 325
small-scale rainwater storage reservoirs and related
watersheds) and promoting climate-resilient farming
practices in three river basins of the Dry Zone
21.04 7.14 28.18
2 Enhancing climate resilient, decentralized water supply
and management solutions
9.90 6.11 16.01
3 Strengthening climate and hydrological observing and
forecasting system to enhance water management and
adaptive capacity
3.65 0.75 4.40
4 Project Management 3.48 - 3.48
TOTAL 38.08 14.00 52.07
Project Financing

12. Sri Lanka’s Access to Climate Finance
Financing for Adaptation:
•Adaptation Fund (2012) USD 8.5 million
•Global Environmental Facility, Special Climate Change Fund (2013) USD 3.2 million
•Green Climate Fund (2016) USD 38.1 million
Financing for Mitigation:
•Global Environmental Facility: Mitigation Funds for Renewable Energy
•UNREDD Programme
•Community-Based Adaptation (AusAID 2010-2014)

13. Experience in Accessing Green Climate Fund
A very short project development and approval process
was supported by;
•High level of government interest and participation in coordination and technical
committees
•A practical and targeted project aimed at addressing urgent development issues and
most vulnerable people
•High quality of technical support and advice from UNDP CO and Regional Bureau
•High level of country ownership (government and non-government)
•Quick review and approval/validation by government agencies
•Co-finance commitments by all government responsible parties

14. Importance of Climate Finance
Why climate finance remains important to a
medium income country;
•So far government and other donor investments have been sectorally designed and
delivered through line ministries aimed at irrigation, agriculture & drinking water
•This financing allows government at national and local level to see local water resources
management holistically. Resolving user conflicts while increasing availability. A new
approach is being tested out in the field
•Government is dealing with a number of urgent development issues in post-conflict
years, as such international finance meets the long term adaptation needs.
•Because of other urgent issues needing immediate attention, it is difficult for the
government to assign due priority for climate change, however it is agreed that increasing
rainfall variability requires an urgent intervention.

15. Thank You…!!