---

Farmer Organizations Call for Nationwide Expansion of the GCF Knuckles Farmland Consolidation Programme

Farmer organizations in Sri Lanka are calling for the nationwide expansion of the farmland consolidation programme implemented under the Downstream Development Programme of the GCF Knuckles Project (Dumbara Haritha Saviya), following its proven success in the Anuradhapura District.

The programme, currently implemented in the Nachchaduwa, Rajanganaya, and Hurulu Wewa irrigation command areas, has delivered tangible benefits to farming communities, prompting farmer representatives to urge its replication nationwide.

Success Recognized During Field Review

These views were expressed during a two-day field observation and progress review conducted on 12 and 13 December 2025, which focused on consolidated paddy lands established at the farmer-organization command area level. The review assessed:

• Impacts of the recent cyclone and adverse weather conditions
• The extent of damage to cultivated lands, crops, and soil
• Post-disaster management measures to restore livelihoods swiftly
• Actions required to further protect and improve consolidated paddy lands
• Challenges identified by farmer organizations at field level

Ministerial Direction and Programme Expansion

In early 2025, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands, and Irrigation, Mr. Lal Kantha, visited the Nachchaduwa Farmland Consolidation Model Project. Recognizing its effectiveness, the Minister requested the National Project Director of the GCF Knuckles Project to extend the cultivation model beyond the Nachchaduwa Irrigation Scheme.

In response, the GCF Knuckles Project expanded the programme to include the Rajanganaya and Hurulu Wewa irrigation schemes, further strengthening climate-resilient and cost-effective paddy cultivation practices in the Downstream Project Areas.

Review of Six Consolidated Sites

As part of the December field mission, progress reviews were conducted across six consolidated farmland sites, covering the farmer organizations of:

• Nachchaduwa HDL 26/27
• Mahasen
• Saliya
• Yaya 18 Sri Wijaya
• Padikaramaduwa
• Gamunu and Gatalawa

The review examined cultivation performance, climate-related impacts, recovery measures, and opportunities to strengthen farming systems under consolidated land management.

Farmers Highlight Strong Benefits

Farmer organization representatives strongly emphasized that consolidating fragmented paddy plots within their command areas has enabled them to adopt what they described as the most successful and profitable cultivation system in their farming history.

They highlighted several key benefits, including:

• Significant reduction in cultivation costs
• More efficient and systematic use of machinery
• Improved irrigation water management
• Better fertilizer application and land-use intensity
• Enhanced soil conservation and overall field management

Farmers also stated that this approach is suitable not only for the Downstream Project Areas but for all paddy lands across Sri Lanka, expressing strong confidence that the current cultivation season will deliver substantial yields and increased profits.

Broad Participation and Collaboration

The field mission was conducted under the guidance of Ms. Chandika V. Athugala, National Project Director of the Dumbara Haritha Saviya Project and Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation.

Project advisors, regional managers, representatives of partner institutions, and numerous farmer organizations participated in the review. Staff from the Colombo Project Management Unit and sub-basin regional offices also joined the mission, contributing through field-level observation, assessment, and implementation support