ColomboPage: 14/07/2005" Salinity in the soil remains a problem for tsunami-hit farmers.
Farmers in the districts of Jaffna, Mullativu, Batticaloa, Ampara and Trincomalee who were affected by the December 26 tsunami will receive help from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to better their livelihood.
The farmers selected by FAO will receive seed, fertilizer to begin crop cultivation, and material assistance for paddy cultivation and the planting of fruit trees. If needed, the farmers will also be given material to put up fences. FAO will provide water pumps and electrical conduct meters to measure salinity in the soil.
In addition, FAO will provide necessary help to farmers in the Batticaloa district to restart betel cultivation, which was damaged by the tidal wave. This project will benefit over 10,200 farmer families in the district.
In Batticaloa, a special variety of betel peculiar to that soil is grown and according to the Provincial Department of Agriculture, there are over 1000 small holdings growing the variety. This variety is different from the betel grown in Jaffna.
Farmers in the districts of Jaffna, Mullativu, Batticaloa, Ampara and Trincomalee who were affected by the December 26 tsunami will receive help from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to better their livelihood.
The farmers selected by FAO will receive seed, fertilizer to begin crop cultivation, and material assistance for paddy cultivation and the planting of fruit trees. If needed, the farmers will also be given material to put up fences. FAO will provide water pumps and electrical conduct meters to measure salinity in the soil.
In addition, FAO will provide necessary help to farmers in the Batticaloa district to restart betel cultivation, which was damaged by the tidal wave. This project will benefit over 10,200 farmer families in the district.
In Batticaloa, a special variety of betel peculiar to that soil is grown and according to the Provincial Department of Agriculture, there are over 1000 small holdings growing the variety. This variety is different from the betel grown in Jaffna.
