FAO boost for rice production

US$ 500,000 project to cover four districts:

COLOMBO: The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has announced plans to boost rice production in Sri Lanka. This will especially cover areas hit hard by recent floods or conflict.

Under the US$ 500,000 project, families in four districts of North-Central and Eastern Sri Lanka - Batticaloa, Ampara, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura - will receive certified seed paddy and small implements so they can increase rice production, the FAO said.

Some 600 metric tons of seed paddy will be distributed in a bid to bring immediate support to rice production.

“From this initiative, about 6,000 hectares of former paddy lands will be renovated and overall rice production of these four districts will be increased,” said the agency’s representative in Sri Lanka, Patrick Evans.

The FAO said the project is part of its global campaign to help poor people in developing countries deal with the impact of high food prices over the past year. The agency is engaged in supporting food production in 35 countries. This is among the FAO’s many programmes in Sri Lanka.