The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched a fertilizer support programme to assist smallholder paddy farmers in the Anuradhapura District whose fields were damaged by Cyclone Ditwah, helping them recover production in time for the upcoming Yala cultivation season in Sri Lanka.
Through a voucher scheme valued at USD 300,000, FAO will provide targeted fertilizer support to 3,489 smallholder paddy farmers, including 1,686 women farmers, whose fields were partially or fully damaged by the cyclone during the Maha cultivation season in Sri Lanka 2025/26.
According to the FAO, eligible farmers will receive electronic vouchers (e-vouchers) to purchase essential fertilizers from Agrarian Service Centres.
Farmers cultivating up to 0.5 acres will receive vouchers valued at USD 75 (LKR 23,625), while those cultivating more than 0.5 acres up to 1 acre will receive USD 90 (LKR 28,350). The vouchers can be used to obtain fertilizers including Urea fertilizer, Triple Super Phosphate (TSP), and Muriate of Potash (MOP).
“This initiative demonstrates the strong collaboration between FAO and the Government of Sri Lanka to support farmers recovering from the impacts of Cyclone Ditwah,” said Mr. Dhammika Ranatunga, Commissioner-General of the Department of Agrarian Development. “By enabling timely access to essential fertilizers ahead of the Yala cultivation season, this support will help affected farmers restore paddy production and safeguard the livelihoods of smallholder farming communities in Anuradhapura.”
“Through this fertilizer voucher programme, FAO aims to help farmers quickly return to cultivation while strengthening their production capacity and contributing to local food security. This also marks the first time FAO in Sri Lanka is implementing an online digital fertilizer voucher programme, expanding our emergency response tools to ensure farmers receive timely and flexible support,” Mr. Vimlendra Sharan, FAO Representative for Sri Lanka, said, emphasizing the importance of timely agricultural recovery assistance for vulnerable farmers.
Alongside fertilizer support, each beneficiary will also receive a free technical booklet on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in paddy cultivation for practical guidance on key stages of rice production. This knowledge resource is designed to help farmers improve productivity and sustainability while making more efficient use of agricultural inputs.
The FAO stated that by combining timely input support with practical technical guidance, it aims to help affected farmers recover from the cyclone’s impacts and sustain rice production in one of Sri Lanka’s key agricultural districts. (Newswire)