1. M.M.M. Aheeyar Hector Kobbekaduwa Agararian Research and Training Institute, Colombo- Sri Lanka Building Capacities at Ground Level in the Context of Climate Change and Water Scarcities 1

2. Content 1.Background 2.Level of Community awareness 3.What went worng in the past CD 4.Past attempts of CD 5.Main issues in local level CD 6.Actions needed 7.Concluding Remarks 2

3. Purpose of 5th Symposium Background There are ample evidences to suggest that the climate of Sri Lanka has already changed- added challenge in WRM Number of rainy days has decreased without reduction in total annual rainfall – prolonged dry spells and floods Increase of mean air temperature is in the order of 0.016 0 C /year Community preparedness is vital to make appropriate use of resources to protect their livelihoods as well as lives and property Capacity building has to play a dominant role 3

4. Community Empowerment and Awareness Creation Government sector and other stakeholders have done some excellent work in specific areas But, awareness of the issue, level of the problem is being practically addressed and the level of inter-sector corporation in creating a climate aware society and climate neutral processes is relatively weak 4

5. Main Issues in local level CD and citizens’ participation Most vulnerable farming groups for climate change related water issues- rain fed and small irrigation farmers Formidable informational, attitudinal, technological, economical barriers for adaptation measures-Restrict the citizens participation Social barriers such as cognitive and normative restrictions and institutional inflexibilities The important adaptation strategy is building capacity to make farmers climate resilient and providing alternative livelihood opportunities 5

6. Level of awareness of the community Perception studies show that communities are well aware on climatic variations No understanding on link between aggravated climatic variations and climate change 75-100% of farmers accept that, major limiting factor affecting crop productivity in the recent past is heavy rain or water scarcity but failed to realize that this is an outcome of climate change 90% of Farmers are not keen to take any short or long term adaptation measures to minimize the harmful effect of water scarcities 6

7. What went wrong in the past CD Past CD initiatives were without a proper action framework and focused on results Very marginal ownership of effort with respect to the citizens capacity building action were by and large start- again, stop-again phenomenon “doing something at micro level, because there are funds available to do it”-un sustainable High quality media features-targeted events and emergencies, not the root causes and solutions 7

8. Actions needed Working at the community level -appreciating, informing and supporting appropriate and logical autonomous actions and overcome restrictive and maladaptive elements within local institutions Utilize the enormous traditional knowledge to manage risks and formulate community based adaptation strategies Participatory technology adoption- NGO experience of adopting community based traditional salt/flood resistant rice variety in coastal area Strengthened the current extension network through the building capacity of grass root officers 8

9. Concluding Remarks Mainstream the climate change adaptation activities in the corporate plans of water and climate related agencies- ”Putting the business into agenda” Identifying communities’ own priorities and needs, and valuing their knowledge alongside science-based knowledge Community driven actions would build knowledge inter-sector coordination of activities and monitoring and evaluation of individual and collective action Internalizing adaptation through incorporation of initiatives, measures, strategies into existing policies, programs, to make adaptation to be part of these programs 9

10. Purpose of 5th Symposium Thank you for your attention Contact details M.M.M. Aheeyar Head, Environment and Water Resources Managment Division Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Resaerch and Training Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka Email: aheeyar@gmail.com 10