Cyclone Ditwah has triggered one of the most severe climate shocks Sri Lanka has faced in decades, compounding vulnerabilities already heightened by years of economic crisis and instability. The cyclone affected all 25 districts, claiming hundreds of lives and disrupting the livelihoods of more than 2.2 million people. More than 1 110 000 cyclone‑affected people urgently require food security, agricultural and nutrition assistance. Even before the cyclone, prolonged economic pressures had left many households food‑insecure and reliant on negative coping strategies. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants and young children are now facing increased risks of malnutrition.
Agriculture, Sri Lanka’s largest rural livelihood sector and a cornerstone of national food security, has been severely affected. At the onset of the Maha 2025/26 season, more than 620 136 hectares of paddy fields had been planted.2 Floods inundated 106 293 hectares of paddy fields, affecting 145 230 farming households.2 Vegetables, maize and other field crops also sustained widespread damage, bringing the total impacted area to over 129 496 hectares, and affecting 227 323 farming households nationwide.
Standing water, debris, silt deposition and damaged irrigation systems are delaying replanting, while shortages of seeds, fertilizers and access to machinery are constraining recovery during a narrowly time‑bound planting window. Moreover, approximately 200 roads and ten bridges have been destroyed, restricting market access and disrupting transport from Nuwara Eliya, a key production zone. In some affected areas, vegetable prices have increased by 30–200 percent.
In parallel, livestock and fisheries losses are compounding the crisis. More than 37 404 cattle and buffaloes, 15 911 goats and sheep, and 475 000 poultry have been lost.2 The fisheries and aquaculture sectors have recorded devastating losses estimated at LKR 20.4–21.4 billion (USD 66–69 million).
In this context, protecting and restoring the livelihoods of affected farming, livestock‑keeping and fishing communities to enable them to feed themselves and their families is a frontline humanitarian response. Immediate support during the ongoing Maha season is critical to prevent missed planting, irreversible production losses and reliance on food aid.
Loading comments…