November 09, Colombo (LNW): A large-scale national effort to boost household-level coconut cultivation and support rural livelihoods is set to begin today (09).
The initiative, which aims to distribute 500,000 coconut saplings to families across the island, is expected to make a meaningful contribution to both poverty reduction and agricultural self-sufficiency.
The official launch ceremony will be held under the patronage of Minister of Plantations and Community Infrastructure Samantha Vidyaratne and Deputy Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment Wasantha Piyathissa.
Proceedings are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., with several senior government officials and community representatives in attendance.
The project stems from a recent Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment and the Ministry of Plantations and Community Infrastructure.
The collaboration seeks to revitalise coconut cultivation while providing tangible benefits to families in rural and semi-urban areas.
Under the scheme, 250,000 families across the country will each receive two young coconut plants free of charge, with the exception of residents in the five districts within the Northern Coconut Triangle—Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar, and Vavuniya—where separate development programmes are already in operation.
Officials estimate that the initiative will lead to the establishment of nearly 8,000 acres of new coconut plantations nationwide, enhancing local coconut production over the coming years.
Beneficiaries were identified through the Praja Shakthi National Programme Committee and endorsed by regional coordination bodies. The aim is to empower families to meet their own household coconut requirements directly from their home gardens, reducing dependency on market supply and strengthening community resilience.
