CONTENTS   ASC Sampaltivu   houses   coconut nursery   roads   schools

November 2003

Agrarian Service Centre Sampaltivu

The Agrarian Service Centre Sampaltivu, close to Trincomalee town, was reconstructed and opened on 21 November 2003. Mr Horst Müller, Director of International Emergency Aid, Nutrition and Food Security and World Food Aid of the Federal German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, BMZ, who was accompanied by Matthias Kiesler from the German Embassy, Colombo, was the chief guest. Mr Müller declared the Centre officially open by lighting the oil lamp and unveiling the name board.

The Sirupittykulam-Illupaikulam Farmer Organisation, which received the Centre, was charged with the reconstruction and renovation from February to October 2003. The Department of Agrarian Development had provided technical and managerial guidance. The reconstruction works were exclusively funded from the Sri Lankan budget allocation 2003 by the Ministry of Eastern Development to the Integrated Food Security Programme Trincomalee. A total of Rs. 2.9 million was spent.

From 1990 to 2003 the buildings were abandoned and dilapidated. The villages in the neighbourhood were deserted. Most houses were destroyed and very few families lived in this war-affected area. It was only after the MOU that families returned and the need for having the Service Centre rehabilitated became obvious.

The Centre will serve the paddy areas of Illupaikulam in particular, which were opened by NEIAP and IFSP. Departments such as Agriculture, Agrarian Development, Animal Production and Health and the Coconut Development Board are already present. The Centre also has capacities to house a sales outlet for fertiliser and agro-chemicals as well as a rural bank.

This Agrarian Service Centre is the first of its kind that was fully reconstructed after the MOU became effective. The chief guest, Mr Horst Müller, Assistant Commissioner Agrarian Development, Mr Ravichandran and Project Director IFSP, Mrs Rohini Singarayer expressed their appreciation about the high standard of reconstruction and the good use of the Centre. Mr Müller said that the IFSP Trincomalee is a fine example of the people centred development cooperation between Sri Lanka and Germany for reviving the North and East. He appreciated that the funds allocated from both governments were well spent.

The president of the Sirupittykulam-Illupaikulam Farmer Organisation in his vote of thanks said that “earlier we had four oxen and many bags of rice in our homes and now we want to get back to this standard; the Service Centre will support us.”

Houses for Returning Families

The reconstruction of the Agrarian Service Centre Sampaltivu complements IFSP’s ‘quick impact programme for returning IDP’, which includes the resettling of families and construction of houses. 330 low-cost houses were constructed under a self-help approach in cooperation with NHDA, local community based organisations, SEDOT a Trincomalee based NGO and the Rotary Club of Trincomalee. Rural roads were rehabilitated, village water supply and sanitation was supported and land was opened for cultivation.

This is the first housing and resettling programme in Trincomalee district after the MOU became
effective.

Coconut Nursery Kumpurupitty

The Coconut Nursery Kumpurupitty, which was rehabilitated by the Coconut Cultivation Board with financial support from IFSP, was officially opened on 4 November 2003 by Hon. MP R. Sampanthan and the Chairman of the CCB. 55,000 coconut seedlings are ready for sale and distribution.

The Coconut Cultivation Officer Trincomalee had initiated a programme in early 2000 to establish the base for redeveloping coconut cultivation in the district. The CCB encourages families to plant five trees in their home compound. In a few years time they can harvest up to 150 nuts per tree and year, which is sufficient for home consumption and allows selling the surplus. CCB also promotes small-scale commercial coconut cultivation. The seedling nursery Kumpurupitty is expected to compensate the tremendous losses due to cutting coconut trees for the construction of bunkers during the last 15 years.

A two-wheel tractor and trailer was handed over to the Coconut Cultivation Officer to increase the labour productivity at the nursery. IFSP further supports the establishment of a field office and store. Altogether more than Rs.2.5 million were spent.

Rural Road Network

The rural road network, which was established for better access to paddy fields, markets, schools and service institutions, is completed. IFSP had rehabilitated and constructed 260 km of rural roads from 1999 to 2003. Many culverts and small bridges had to be built and many kilometres of side drains had to be dug. Most roads are covered with gravel to ensure that they can be used throughout the year.

Local Rural Development Societies and Farmer Organisations were the implementing partners. All roads were formally handed over to the Pradesha Sabas, by signing the handing over documents and the project completion reports. On an average, 30% of the total costs were covered by village communities and 70% by IFSP, government departments and also non-government organisations. During the visit of Mr Müller and Mr Kiesler a 2 km stretch of the road from Gomarankadawela to Kaharagawewa was opened, which was constructed at a cost of Rs. 450,000.

Village Schools

On 11 November 2003 three schools were officially handed over to the Department of Education. New primary schools were constructed in the villages of Vattavan and Illangaithurai. Since 1996 schooling for the children from these villages was done in temporary sheds. Now the new schools accommodate five classes each and an office for the principal and the teachers. At the Illangaithurai Mugathuvaram Vidyalayam two new blocks were completed. These blocks will serve as science lab and conference hall. The school buildings were constructed by the School Development Societies. IFSP engineers and technical officers from the Department of Education provided support. All school buildings comply with the standards of the Department of Education. The total costs for the three schools amounted to Rs. 4.2 million.