EU-Ampara Parnership MOU signed

Many significant Development Projects covering all sectors are to be implemented in Ampara District with the signing of an MOU by the European Union Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Julian Wilson, and the Ampara Government Agent, Sunil Kannanagara. The signing took place at the District Secretary’s Conference Hall in the presence of representatives from INGOs working in Ampara District who wish to move forward as partners to solve the major needs of the District.The EU-Ampara Partnership is funded by the European Union in the amount of EUR 78 million (approx. LKR 11,388,000.00), which will contribute towards the rehabilitation and sustainable development of Ampara District. The Partnership funds are delivered through eight partners working with local authorities and also with the National Ministries (RDA and Nation Building & Reconstruction) to ensure an integrated approach to the development of the entire district.

The EU-Ampara Partnership is comprised of the following programmes:

• Reconstruction of Siyambalanduwa/Pottuvil/Akkaraipattu roads [EUR 13.5 million] co-financed by the ADB and Ministry of Highways;
  
• Community Access Roads Programme (CAP) [EUR 30 million] implemented through IOM and local authorities;
  
• Community Livelihood Support Programme (CLSP) [EUR 10 million] implemented through IOM and local authorities;
  
• Livelihood Development Programme (LDP) [EUR 0.7 million] implemented through UNDP and local authorities;
  
• North East Housing Reconstruction Programme (NEHRP) [EUR 13 million] co-financed by the World Bank and Ministry of Nation Building and Reconstruction;
  
• Environmental Remediation Programme [EUR 10 million] implemented through UNOPS and local authorities;
  
• Two environmental remediation actions under the ASIA PRO ECO HB – Post Tsunami programme in Kalmunai [EUR 1 million] co-financed with the City of Munich and Province of Modena and local authorities.

The EU-Ampara Partnership is committed to deliver aid to all vulnerable communities in the District and will ensure that the allocation of resources is strictly guided by the principles of equity.

District Agriculture Training Centre open at Palamuna

A District Agriculture Training Centre constructed at Palamunai in the Addalaichenai DS Division was ceremonially declared open on Monday, September 3rd.

The Centre, which was built at a cost of Rs. 7 million provided by the European Union through the UNDP, is very well equipped and includes a demonstration plot consisting of one acre of land. It will cater to the needs of 60,000 farmers in improving their agricultural abilities in the Tamil speaking areas of the coastal belt.

The Ambassador of the European Union in Sri Lanka, Julian Wilson, participated as chief guest at this ceremony and declared the Training Centre open by cutting the ribbon following the hoisting of the National Flag. Government Agent Sunil Kannangara, Deputy Director of Agriculture P.T. Nimal Dayaratna, Assistant Director of Agriculture R.M. Latheef, as well as Agricultural Officers and Instructors also participated.Ambassador Wilson expressed his happiness to complete such a worthy project in this area where farmers are in the majority and appealed to them to make the maximum benefit out of the Centre. “We love Sri Lanka, and hence the people of European Union showed their kind generosity by voluntarily giving their financial assistance to uplift the standard of the common masses in the eastern part of Sri Lanka”, the Ambassador said. He further revealed that a large sum of money has been set apart for development projects in various sectors in Ampara District.

The UNDP’s Ampara Officer in Charge Z.A. Joufer, EU Coordinator Kiran Kothari, and many other representatives from interested INGOs attended the ceremonies. Also present in large numbers were the coastal area farmers wishing to express their gratitude to the EU and UNDP in implementing this project successfully and helping to solve some of their long-standing problems.

Akkaraipattu Seed Paddy Processing Centre nears completion

On the initiative of Akkaraipattu Seed Paddy Producers Society, an outstanding problem of the farmers of the Ampara District is to be solved by the establishment of a full fledged Paddy Processing Centre along with a storage facility for seed paddy produced here in Akkaraipattu.

The work on this Rs. 15 million project commenced in November 2006, with funding assistance from the European Union through UNDP Ampara. Construction work is progressing quickly under the technical advises of the Department of Agriculture’s Extension, Seed Paddy, and Certifying Units, and is to be complete early next month.

Two important features of the project, a Seed Processing Machine and Seed Drier are to be brought down from Germany and India respectively. Once the project is complete, the Processing Centre will be in the position to supply 15,000 bushels of seed paddy after processing and certifying to the farmers of the District, helping to further facilitate their paddy cultivation.

A team of Officials from the European Union, headed by Ms. Merce de Torres and UNDP’s Ampara Chief Z.A. Joufer, visited the site recently and expressed their satisfaction after talking to the OIC of the Ampara Seed Paddy Processing Centre and members of the Akkaraipattu Seed Paddy Producers.It may be noted that Ampara District, the rice bowl of the Country, is the second largest paddy producing area in Sri Lanka, with 63,000 hectares of paddy cultivation fulfilling one fifth of the rice production in the Country. According to the Agriculture Department’s statistics, the farmers in the District produce 75% of the seed paddy required by the District themselves. Once this is more fully established, problems confronted by the farmers in the District in seeking quality seed paddy should be solved to a great extent.

UNDP's Sports for Peace

The United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), with the assistance of the Affected Women's Forum (AWF) and financial support from AusAID, has organized 'Sports for Peace' at the Ampara Urban Council Grounds. The purpose of the event, which drew a large crowd, was to foster inter-communal harmony and peace among the people belonging to the three major ethnic groups in Ampara District.

The programme began with the hoisting of the National Flag by the chief guest Additional Government Agent, J.S.D.M.Asanka Abeywardena, while the UNDP, UN, Sports for Peace, and AWF Flags were raised by OIC-UNDP's Z.M.Jaufar, UNFP's Ms. Zarrina Kurbanova, UNDP’s Ms. Dinesha Suppiah, and Ms. Vaani Simon, respectively. Following this, several doves, symbolizing 'peace’, were released and the traditional oil lamp was lighted by the guests. Religious dignitaries representing Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity then performed their respective religious observances.

Invitation tournaments were arranged for Netball and Cricket and were actively participated in by formidable clubs from Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim areas. The winners were rewarded with sports equipment. Chief Guest Asanka Abeywardena, Guest of Honour Zarrina Kurbanova, and UNDP O.I.C.Jaufer handed over the prizes to the winners.

Among those who participated in the programme were Director of Planning A.A.Bawa, Divisional Secretaries, Officials of the Zonal Education Office, and representatives of UNICEF, UNOCHA, UNCHR, ILO, IOM, UNOPS, UN-HABITAT, and UNFAO.