ASHRAFF.A.SAMAD
Polannaruwe : To commemorate the vital contribution of rural women in Sri Lanka, a commemorative event took place in Polonnaruwa Tuesday, Oct. 16 with over 300 women across 07 districts and the participation of high-level representatives including;
Roshan Ranasinghe, Minister of Irrigation and Sport; . Anupa Pasqual, State Minister of Social Empowerment; Mizukoshi Hideaki, Ambassador of Japan in Sri Lanka; Ms. Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka; along with representatives from local government, and civil society organizations.
The special event saw the opening of the Gal Oya Green Zone, handing over of the poultry feed production centre to the Gal Oya Green Women’s Society, and awarding of membership to the Rural Women’s Business Forum, among other activities. These efforts are a result of UNDP led interventions in the field, through the Green Climate Fund (GCF) financed ‘Climate Resilient Integrated Water Management Project (CRIWMP)’, the Japanese Supplementary Budget (JSB) funded ‘Strengthening Smallholder Farmers and Micro/Home-Based Agriculture Industries for Enhanced Food and Livelihood Security’ project, and financing from the Government of Luxemburg through UNDP’s Funding Windows supported intervention to create an integrated social protection system for long-term inclusive growth and broad-based resilience.
Through UNDPs integrated support through the Funding Windows, the Gal Oya Green Zone encompasses a roadside marketplace with 20 eco-friendly sales huts along a kilometer stretch of the Habarana – Trincomalee Road, benefiting 40 women beneficiaries in the area, enabling the sale of ecologically grown home garden agricultural products. In addition, 110 home gardens have been established under the Green Climate Funded CRIWMP and Japanese Supplementary Budget (JSB) supported projects, enhancing nutritional levels, increasing food security among farming families, and creating livelihood opportunities to sell surplus produce at the roadside market.
