Covid pandemic and the Financial crisis has caused severe liquidity issues in Sri Lanka making risks on the credit portfolios of the local SANASA cooperatives. FO4A project locally known as the ‘Smart farmer’ programme, enabled the managers and the leaders to support their members to improve their income through organized, market connected cultivation programmes.
Seventy members of Thirawala society were supported by ARISE 2 loan scheme to start protected vegetable cultivation projects in their village. Ms. R.K.S Priyangika, the Chairperson of the SANASA society, is eager to expand the project which has already supported to improve the income of the members and pay back the defaulted loans.
“While ARISE loan scheme enabled us to motivate farmers to think differently, we are hopeful to move to the next stage to support the farmers to market their products.”
Currently SEFEC is supporting Thirawala society to incubate a vegetable packhouse business to identify differentiated markets to gain a higher farmgate price for their members.
