- 25,037 families affected across seven Districts
- Agriculture records highest livelihood losses
- Fishing, plantation and livestock sectors also hit
A total of 78,368 people from 25,037 families have lost their livelihoods due to the dry weather conditions caused by El Niño, with losses reported across seven Districts, Environment Minister Dr Dammika Patabendi told Parliament yesterday (10).
The affected Districts are Monaragala, Badulla, Ratnapura, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara and Anuradhapura, with livelihood losses reported among people engaged in agriculture, fishing, plantation work, self-employment, business and livestock farming, among other activities.
Speaking in Parliament, Patabendi said the Government had paid special attention to the livelihood losses resulting from the prevailing conditions and had begun taking steps to provide relief to affected communities through the intervention of relevant State institutions.
According to figures provided by the Minister, agriculture has suffered the highest number of livelihood losses, affecting 12,304 families comprising 36,875 people. The plantation sector has recorded losses among 2,333 families, involving 7,889 people.
In the fishing sector, 2,107 families involving 7,491 people have been affected, while 1,769 families comprising 6,039 people have suffered livelihood losses in the self-employment sector.
The livestock sector has recorded losses among 2,966 families, involving 9,408 people, while 108 families comprising 369 people have been affected in the business sector.
A further 3,450 families comprising 10,297 people have been categorised under other livelihood-related activities.
In total, 25,037 families comprising 78,368 people have lost their livelihoods as a result of the prevailing dry weather conditions.
The Government has begun coordinating with State institutions to provide relief to those affected, Patabendi said, adding that the response would cover the different sectors and communities identified through information collected from the affected Districts.
Deputy Labour Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe and Labour Ministry Secretary S M Piyatissa were not available for comment.