COLOMBO, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) — The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) delivered 8,360 tons of urea fertilizer this week to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Agriculture for distribution during the forthcoming Maha cropping season, a FAO statement said on Monday.

The FAO said this essential fertilizer will be distributed to over 228,000 smallholder paddy farmers across several districts in dry and intermediate zones of Sri Lanka, bolstering production and increasing the resilience of smallholder paddy farmers in the country.

The assistance targets smallholder paddy farmers cultivating lands up to 1 hectare in Kurunegala, Jaffna, Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, and Batticaloa districts.

Under this emergency assistance program, farmers cultivating up to 0.5 hectares of land will receive 25 kg urea fertilizer free of charge, while those cultivating up to 1 hectare of land will receive 50 kg urea for free. 

Published Date: August 7, 2023