JICA and Department of Agriculture Support Big Onion Farmers Affected by Cyclone Ditwah

On 25 May 2026, a ceremonial handover of 43 drip irrigation systems to big onion farmers affected by Cyclone Ditwah was successfully held in the Nachchaduwa Division of the Anuradhapura District.

This cooperation, initiated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, forms part of the ongoing recovery support for farming communities severely impacted by Cyclone Ditwah in November 2026. The initiative aligns with the post-disaster “Build Back Better” vision aimed at strengthening resilience and restoring livelihoods in affected agricultural regions.

The official handover ceremony was attended by 43 beneficiary farmers, farmer leaders, and several distinguished guests, including Hon. Namal Karunarathne, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock; Dr. W.A.R.T. Wickramarachchi, Director General of Agriculture; Mr. Sisira Kumara, Director of the Extension and Training Center; and Mr. Minoru Matsunoshita, Senior Representative of the JICA Sri Lanka Office. Senior officials from provincial councils, district and divisional administrations, as well as field-level agricultural extension officers, including Agriculture Instructors and Technical Officers, also participated in the event.

Under this initiative, the Department of Agriculture has designated this village as a “Big Onion Seed Production Village”. Through continued technical guidance, supervision, and monitoring, the Department aims to strengthen local seed production capacity while introducing advanced agricultural technologies to improve productivity and farmers’ income.
In addition to seed production, beneficiary farmers are expected to cultivate big onion bulbs during the Yala season, further enhancing local production and market supply. Furthermore, the lessons learned from this initiative will give valuable insights to the upcoming JICA technical cooperation project to expand the SHEP (Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment & Promotion) approach nationwide, by enhancing the effectiveness of the approach in use of modern technologies, such as drip irrigation.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Sri Lanka spends approximately Rs. 25 billion annually on big onion imports. This initiative is expected to contribute significantly to the country’s economic recovery by reducing dependency on imports while increasing the availability of high-quality big onion seeds for local farmers. In his remarks upon the ceremony, Mr. Minoru MATSUNOSHITA explained JICA’s expectation, stating that “these facilities will help farmers recover from various damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah, increase productivity, improve household incomes, and strengthen the stability of the farmers livelihoods. Furthermore, big onion seed production is extremely valuable to the national economy, particularly in reducing dependency on imported seeds.”

JICA is aspired to supporting resilient agricultural development, empowering farming communities, and ensuring long-term food security in Sri Lanka.