Environmental policy and administrative management

Rationale:The traditional lifestyle of the local community has been altered by various colonial rulers and has caused various water scarcity problems for agriculture and domestic purposes during last few centuries. Therefore, integration of modern water using system with traditional knowledge and the practices is must for recovering the sustainable livelihood of the agricultural communities in Sri Lanka facilitating the eradication of poverty and meeting the development goals of the natural resource conservation in the country. Objective: To provide guidance for formulation new community based water governing policies and protection of traditional customary rights and field testing of local government by laws addressed in the phase I of the CWI project in Matale District To initiate a water related applied research programme and monitoring programme in the Sigiriya region . To facilitate the local community in the management of integrated water resource and ensuring long-term viablity and sustainability. To raise awareness and eduaction in water related issues, and the sustainable use of its components and teh surrounding environs. To promote equitable sharing of benefits and responsibilities in the use os water resources. restoration of catchment area, traditional cascade system and tank ecosystems for sustainable water supply, traditional rainwater harvesting and irrigation, for agriculture and domestic use while recharging the ground water table. To raise awareness of the potential of non-timber forest product use, and nature-based agriculture. To promote and enchanting the capacity of women in water management. To promote nature-based farming techniques for minimizing the water pollution from the chemical farming. To facilitate community based implementation of concern objectives of national and International conventions. Activities: baseline report of area and updating of the database. community awareness and monitoring meetings promotion os traditional rain water harvesting techniques through restoration of ancient irrigation canal and cascade system. Alternative livelihood development programme. integrated agricultural development programme. Promotion of traditional crop species. production of water management education and awareness literature. Traditional knowledge documenting on water governance and crop wild relative documenting programme. Water governance and policy advocacy awareness programme.

Sri lanka