WFP launches project to strengthen climate change adaptation in India and Sri Lanka
NEW DELHI/COLOMBO—Today, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Ministries of Environment of India and Sri Lanka launched the ‘Adaptation for Resilience’ (ADAPT4R) project. The five-year initiative aims to improve food security and strengthen the livelihoods of farming communities facing climate-induced challenges in the two countries.
With support from the Adaptation Fund’s US$14 million contribution, the project will focus on districts in both countries where adverse weather affects farmers' crops and livelihoods. The Adaptation for Resilience project will give farmers, especially women, the tools they need to make farming and livelihoods resilient to the impacts of climate change.
India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Environment, Wildlife, Forest Resources, Water Supply, Plantation and Community Infrastructure will implement the project jointly with WFP.
“India is at the forefront of responding to the increasing climate risks to food security. According to the Global Climate Risk Index (2021), the country is among the top 10 most vulnerable to climate events. This new partnership between WFP and MoEFCC would help address some of the critical climate-related challenges in India by building the adaptive capacity of smallholders in dryland areas,” said Ms Rajasree Ray, Economic Advisor, MoEFCC, Government of India.
“The Adaptation for Resilience project marks a milestone in Sri Lanka’s collaborative efforts with WFP to tackle the universal challenge of climate change,” said Mrs. W.G. Kumaragama, Additional Secretary (Environment Projects & Education Training) to the Ministry of Environment in Sri Lanka. “This timely project enables India and Sri Lanka to collaborate and learn from each other as we work towards a common goal of helping at-risk communities build climate resilience.”
At the launching ceremony, officials from India, Sri Lanka and WFP held a regional project steering committee meeting to outline the next steps for implementing the project.
“This initiative will help the economically disadvantaged farming households facing serious climate risks in India by giving them the tools to adapt through better farming practices and building climate-resilient livelihoods. By ensuring they are actively involved in the process, the project is not just addressing today’s challenges—it will prepare communities for a future shaped by climate change," said Ms Elisabeth Faure, Country Director, WFP in India.
“Our food systems are at the mercy of the rapidly intensifying effects of climate change,” says WFP Sri Lanka Deputy Country Director Gerard Rebello. “By partnering with the Ministry of Environment, we aim to boost resilience and help vulnerable communities better prepare for erratic weather patterns. This will safeguard lives and livelihoods and ensure that the food journey is uninterrupted.”
Photo (left to right): UN Resident Coordinator in India, Mr Shombi Sharp; Ms Rajasree Ray, Economic Advisor, MoEFCC, Government of India; Mrs. W.G. Kumaragama, Additional Secretary (Environment Projects & Education Training) to the Ministry of Environment in Sri Lanka; Mr. Gerard Rebello, Deputy Country Director, WFP Sri Lanka and Ms Elisabeth Faure, Country Director, WFP India.
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organisation, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
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