Lanka Impact Investment Network (LIIN) with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) completed four stakeholder consultation workshops in Western, Eastern, Central, and Northern provinces. These consultations were aimed at identifying current pressing issues at the grassroots level in the agriculture and fisheries sectors in Sri Lanka. A total of 118 representatives from the public and private sectors, civil society organizations, academia and field experts participated in these consultations sharing their experience and knowledge.

The consultations highlighted several critical issues faced by the agriculture sector in Sri Lanka. For example, agricultural cycle disruptions leading to reduced yields and crop quality; extreme temperatures affecting germination, growth, development, and harvest times;  pest management; and high salinity in soil or irrigation water leading to reduced crop yields and lower agricultural productivity.

Similarly, the consultations highlighted the main concerns faced by the fisheries sector in Sri Lanka. For example, climate change affecting fish physiology, growth rates, and reproduction; ocean circulation impacting fish populations and fish migration patterns; and more.

The facilitator of the Northern Province consultation, Prof. Nagamuthu Piratheeparajah said “The information and discussions provided were incredibly insightful and eye-opening. It was a great opportunity to learn more about the impact of climate change and what we can do to adapt to these impacts. I felt these consultations inspired the key actors in the Northern Province to focus more on climate adaptation”.

The consultations were supported under USAID’s Climate Adaptation project (CAP) which helps to strengthen capacities of government, private sector, and local communities to respond and adapt to climate change in ways that contribute to sustained and inclusive market-based growth approaches in agriculture, fisheries, and tourism.

Based on the issues identified through this stakeholder consultations, USAID’s CAP together with LIIN and the Climate Collective Foundation (CCF) will organize Sri Lanka’s first ever climate data Hackathon aimed at engaging tech-savvy youth in developing innovative data-driven solutions for climate change issues in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.