UNDP Sri Lanka

21/10/2026

💧 In Anamaduwa, Puttalam, a school once struggled with water shortages that left children vulnerable to illness. Rainwater harvesting changed that, bringing clean, reliable water to students every day.

Rainwater harvesting shows how simple solutions can reduce the impact of El Niño and help communities stay resilient 🌧️🌱
Supported by the Green Climate Fund funded initiative implemented by the Govt of & United Nations Development Programme - UNDP , rainwater harvesting systems have already helped vulnerable communities in drought-prone areas access safe water for drinking, sanitation and daily needs.

21/10/2026

🗺️ A map can show you where a village is. But can it help shape where that village is going? In Kosgahakanda Tea Village, the answer is taking shape with the community leading the way! 🌱

More than lines and boundaries, a village map can reveal opportunities to protect biodiversity 🦋, manage land more sustainably 🌍and strengthen livelihoods 🍃

That is why bringing local knowledge into the planning process matters. Through the Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Management (BSLM) Project funded by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by the Ministry of Environment and United Nations Development Programme - UNDP with support from Biodiversity Sri Lanka and Janathakshan GTE, farmers 👩‍🌾, community members 🤝 and government officials are working together to ensure that the future of Kosgahakanda reflects the realities, needs and aspirations of the people who call it home 🏡

Kosgahakanda is the first of six tea villages supported by the project under the Government’s national tea village rehabilitation programme to complete this important mapping validation exercise ✅

Watch how a simple map is becoming a powerful tool for community-led change 🎥✨

UNDP in Asia and the Pacific

20/10/2026

A Week of Learning in Korea♻️

Five days, one big question: how can waste become a resource?🌏 UNDP facilitated a a team of technical experts from Sri Lanka through a study visit to South Korea .

The visit started at the Sudokwon Landfill Site and the Korea Environmental Corporation (K-eco) 🤝, then moved on to Seoul’s Resource Center, Energy Dream Center and the Mapo Resource Recovery Facility⚡ Officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Government shared how the city manages waste, and a visit to C.I.Ecotech showed how a private company treats recyclables 🏭

In Hongcheon County, the team met with local officials 🏛️, received an overview of how the county operates its waste treatment facilities, and went on a site visit to see the facilities in action 🔍 The team also explored the Hongcheon Eco-Friendly Energy Town, which tackles waste and livestock manure together🌱, and wrapped up at RETECH 2026, an international trade fair for waste management and environmental technologies 🌍

Supported by the 'Scale-up and Sustain the Low-Carbon Municipal Solid Waste Management and Resource Recovery in Sri Lanka’ project with funding from the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, Republic of Korea, through the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute(KEITI).

Korean Embassy in Sri Lanka, United Nations Development Programme - Seoul Policy Centre - UNDP 서울정책센터, Ministry of Public Services, Provincial Councils and Local Government, 서울에너지드림센터, 기후에너지환경부

20/10/2026

එල් නිනෝ වසරක් යනු නිකම්ම නියඟයක් පමණක් නොවේ..

මුලින් අධික වර්ෂාවක් ලැබී, ඉන්පසු 2027 දක්වා දිගු විය හැකි වියළි කාලයක් උදා විය හැක. සැබෑ අභියෝගය වන්නේ වැස්ස කොපමණ ලැබේද යන්න නොව, ඉන් කොපමණක් ග්‍රහණය කර, ගබඩා කර, කළමනාකරණය කළ හැකිද යන්නයි!

UNDP in Asia and the Pacific

19/10/2026

Rain today, relief tomorrow 🌧️💧

With El Niño expected to bring a drier spell after December, households can store water now with a simple gutter-to-barrel system. Just follow the right steps and remember to direct overflow safely away from the home in flood-prone areas.

UNDP in Asia and the Pacific

19/10/2026

A fresh chapter is brewing in Sri Lanka’s tea country!

In the lush tea-growing landscapes of Lumbini Valley, farmers are exploring a new path towards organic cultivation, one that brings together healthier ecosystems, sustainable farming and stronger livelihoods.

An awareness programme held at the Lumbini Valley Tea Factory introduced local farmers to the proposed organic transition, the Tripartite Organic Tea Transition Partnership, and the steps ahead in developing the Eco Village.

Supported by the Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Management (BSLM) Project, this initiative seeks to bring farmers and partners together to make tea cultivation more sustainable while caring for the landscapes that sustain it.
Our appreciation goes to the Lumbini Valley Tea Factory management, project partners and the farmers whose enthusiastic participation is helping shape this journey.
Because the future of Ceylon Tea is not just about what we grow, but how we grow it!

This initiative is carried out under the 'Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Management' project, funded by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by United Nations Development Programme - UNDP in partnership with the Department of Agriculture Sri Lanka , along with on the ground support from Biodiversity Sri Lanka and Janathakshan

19/10/2026

’s recovery is an important milestone, but the true test is whether it can translate into lasting resilience for people and communities.

In the inaugural issue of The Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute Policy Insights: Bridging Research, Policy and Practice, United Nations Development Programme - UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka, Azusa Kubota explores how the country can move from responding to crises after losses occur to anticipating and reducing risks before they deepen.

The article highlights the need to strengthen livelihoods, social protection, water management, essential services and accountable institutions, ensuring that recovery reduces vulnerability and delivers progress that people can see and feel in their daily lives.

Read “Sri Lanka’s Next Test: Turning Recovery into Resilience”: https://bit.ly/4k1l4pp

UNDP in Asia and the Pacific United Nations Sri Lanka

16/10/2026

New tappers, new livelihoods 🌴🍯

On 13 October 2026, a training programme for new kithul tappers was held in Adavikanda, Ratnapura District, under the Value Chain Development Programme of the Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Management Project.

The programme supports communities already working in the kithul industry and encourages new groups to join the sector. Trainees receive the skills and equipment they need to strengthen their livelihoods and improve their economic well-being.

This session brought together new tappers from the Adavikanda Abhimani Kithul Farmers’ Society. The Society’s Chairman helped organise the training and encouraged members to take part, while Gamunu Wijesena provided technical guidance.

📣 Among the trainees was an 18-year-old who chose to enter the kithul industry after finishing school, showing how the programme is opening doors for young people to build sustainable livelihoods.

This initiative is carried out under the 'Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Management' project, funded by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by United Nations Development Programme - UNDP in partnership with the Department of Agriculture Sri Lanka , along with on the ground support from Biodiversity Sri Lanka and Janathakshan

UNDP in Asia and the Pacific

16/10/2026

🌿 Unlocking new opportunities for tourism and local economic development in Northern

During her visit to , United Nations Development Programme - UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Azusa Kubota handed over the “Unlocking Private Sector–Led Tourism Experiences in Northern Sri Lanka” assessment to the Minister of Environment and the Mannar District Secretary.

Initiated at the request of the Northern Province Governor and Chief Secretary, the assessment examined over 50 tourism sites and assets across Jaffna, Mannar, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi, assessing both their tourism potential and commercial readiness.

Supported closely by the District Secretariats across all four districts, the findings complement the operationalization of the Northern Province Tourism Development Strategy and Plan, helping identify opportunities to strengthen private sector participation and develop tourism as a driver of local economic development.

The visit also provided an opportunity for discussions with the Mannar District Secretary on broader challenges and development priorities facing the district.

Ministry of Environment UNDP in Asia and the Pacific United Nations Sri Lanka

18/09/2026