Is
CSIAP investing in Nature-Based Solutions to build sustainable climate
resilience and enhance ecosystems?
Yes. The World Bank–financed Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project
(CSIAP), implemented by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands,
and Irrigation (2019–2025), actively applies Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) using
a Village Tank Cascade System approach. This strategy strengthens climate
resilience, restores ecosystems, and improves climate-smart agriculture in
vulnerable hotspot areas across 11 districts in six provinces.
1.Understanding
Nature-Based Solutions in CSIAP
Nature-Based
Solutions are actions that protect, manage, and restore ecosystems while
addressing societal challenges such as climate change, food security, and
biodiversity loss. CSIAP’s adoption of NbS directly supports Sustainable
Development Goal 13 (Climate Action) and aligns with Sri Lanka’s national
climate commitments, including greenhouse gas reduction and sustainable
development goals.
2.CSIAP’s
Key Components Supporting NbS
CSIAP
works through four integrated components:
- Agricultural
Production and Marketing: Improves farm productivity, strengthens value chains,
enhances market access, and builds the capacity of farmer organizations to
ensure sustainable livelihoods and food security.
- Water
Management through Cascade Systems: Rehabilitates and modernizes irrigation systems,
promotes water-efficient technologies, and develops water harvesting and
storage to ensure year-round water availability.
- Project
Management:
Establishes strong institutional, financial, procurement, environmental, and
social safeguard systems to ensure coordinated and accountable implementation.
- Contingent
Emergency Response:
Enables rapid reallocation of resources to respond to climate shocks, floods,
droughts, and other agricultural emergencies.
- Together,
these components create a holistic, adaptive framework for climate-smart
agriculture.
3.Major
Nature-Based Interventions Under the CSIAP 3.1
Climate-Smart Agriculture PracticesThe CSIAP
promotes sustainable, nature-positive farming practices, including:- Micro-irrigation (drip, sprinkler, micro-jet,
rainhouse irrigation systems), crop diversification (green gram, cowpea,
groundnut, black gram, paddy, chili, onion), inter-seasonal cultivation (green
gram, cowpea, black gram), agronomic interventions (agro wells, solar water
pumps, highland seeders, weeders, transplanters, poly tunnels, poly mulch,
insect-proof nets, and mini tillers), climate-smart seed production, and
climate-smart home garden development. A total of 44,155 farmers have
adopted at least one improved Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practice,
demonstrating widespread uptake across project areas.
- Regenerative agriculture, such as crop rotation,
cover cropping, and minimum tillage, to improve soil health.
- Erosion control through vegetation cover and
conservation bunds.
- Use of compost and biochar to enhance soil
fertility and sequester carbon.
3. 2 Tree-Based and Forest
InterventionsThe CSIAP recognises forests as critical
for climate resilience through
- Community-led
reforestation and preschool-based tree planting programmes.
- Agroforestry
and climate-smart home gardens that improve biodiversity and farm productivity.
- Catchment
protection measures, such as the establishment of tree belts (e.g.,
Kattakaduwa-type green belts), to conserve water resources and restore degraded
landscapes.
3.3
Green and Climate-Smart InfrastructureThe CSIAP
promotes environmentally sensitive infrastructure development, including:- Climate-smart
farmer training schools (such as Thirappane) with eco-friendly designs and
green concepts, where over 2,946 lead farmers (including 1,221 women)
were trained between 2023 and 2025.
- Rehabilitation
of village tank systems to restore natural water flows: 457 tanks completed
in 2024 and 185 ongoing in 2025. Following baseline surveys,
participatory rural appraisal, hydrological studies, engineering surveys, and
hotspot area agriculture development plans, designs and estimates were prepared
to rehabilitate the village tanks using the cascade-based approach.
- Design
of infrastructure based on environmental and social safeguards to ensure
long-term sustainability of cascade systems.
3.4
Integrated Biodiversity and Ecosystem ProtectionThe CSIAP
integrates biodiversity conservation by:
- Establishing over 1,000 solar-powered movable
electric fences to reduce human–wildlife conflict in multiple
districts.
- Restoring catchments through tree planting,
biodiversity-friendly land use, and bund construction.
- Protecting wildlife corridors while improving crop
security and farmer safety.
4. Integrated
Water Resources Management (IWRM) Under the CSIAPThe CSIAP
applies robust IWRM strategies, including:- Integration
of environmental safeguards into all physical works.
- Improvement
of water quality through over 183 km of drainage canal rehabilitation
and pollution control.
- Watershed
management through village tank rehabilitation across 15 river basins.
- Restoration
of over 1,500 agro-wells to promote sustainable groundwater use.
- Construction
of saltwater intrusion control structures, including a 500-meter bund in
Semmankuntru, Kilinochchi.
- Formation
of 60 Cascade Management Committees and development of cascade-level
water management plans to strengthen local governance.
- Capacity
building, community mobilization, and participatory planning to empower local
stakeholders.
5.Sri
Lanka’s Climate Commitments and CSIAP’s ContributionSri
Lanka has committed to:- Reducing
greenhouse gas emissions by 14.5% by 2030.
- Generating
70% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
- Achieving
carbon neutrality by 2050.
The
CSIAP contributes to these national targets by:- Enhancing
carbon sequestration through tree planting and improved soil management.
- Reducing
dependence on fossil fuel–intensive agricultural inputs.
- Strengthening
climate-resilient rural livelihoods and green job opportunities.
6.
Outcomes and Case Study HighlightsThe
CSIAP’s NbS approach has delivered multiple co-benefits:- 44,
155 people with enhanced resilience to climate risks (Number of people) CRI
(The number of people adopted CSA practices can be reasonable assumed to have
enhance resilience to climate risks.
- 6,976
people with enhanced resilience to climate risks – Youth (Number of people).
- 19,428
people with enhanced resilience to climate risks – Female (Number of people).
- 66,039
people with strengthened food and nutrition security (Number of people).
- 10,434
people with strengthened food and nutrition security – Youth (Number of people).
- 29,057
people with strengthened food and nutrition security – Female (Number of
people).
- 4,120
Ha terrestrial and aquatic areas under enhanced conservation and management (Hectare
(Ha)).
- Climate change mitigation through
carbon sequestration.
- Economic growth via green job creation
in agroforestry and land restoration.
- Biodiversity recovery through
ecosystem-based planning and habitat restoration.
7.Challenges
and Moving ForwardDespite
strong progress, CSIAP faces challenges, including:- The
need for stronger multi-stakeholder coordination.
- Limited
monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
- Technical
capacity gaps at grassroots levels.
- Funding
constraints for long-term sustainability.
To
address these, it is recommended to strengthen policy frameworks, promote
public–private partnerships, empower communities through participatory
approaches, and expand rational monitoring systems.
Conclusion
Nature-Based
Solutions provide a cost-effective, scalable pathway for building climate
resilience and restoring ecosystems. CSIAP demonstrates how integrated water
management, climate-smart agriculture, and biodiversity conservation can work
together to deliver sustainable development outcomes. As climate risks
intensify, scaling up NbS-inspired initiatives will be critical for Sri Lanka
and other climate-vulnerable countries.
By Sharmila Shanmuganathan,
Social Safeguard and Gender Development Officer, PMU, CSIAP
Posted by CSIAP Sri Lanka Read full article Published Date : 2025-06-06
