High impact special projects for palmyrah sector development

The Ministry of Prisons Reform, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs has provided a special allocation of Rs. 160 m with a view to strengthen the palmyrah sector which is predominant in the conflict affected Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka. 

This is the largest fund allocation in a single year under a special project of the Ministry said Secretary, Ministry of Prisons Reform, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs V. Sivagnanasothy,.

Under the guidance of Minister of Prisons Reform, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu religious Affairs D. M. Swaminathan, the Ministry has initiated high impact special projects for palmyrah sector development. There are over 12 million palmyrah trees in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and the palmyrah based high impact special projects will have a significant impact in livelihood development, income generation and employment. 

Under the high impact special projects, 10 projects have been identified and are being implemented in an accelerated process. These projects include provision of modernised toddy bottling plant to increase the toddy production to cater to off-season demand; provision of modernised jaggery production plant to increase jaggery, treacle and sugar candy production; provision of palmyrah based food processing training and technology transfer to increase high nutritional palmyrah products under hygienic conditions; providing support at household level to increase tuber production by providing tools, equipment and support for seed-bed preparation to increase tuber based products; development of traditional handicraft villages for young women and women headed families by providing six month special handicraft training, technology and tools, working capital and facilitate marketing through buy-back arrangements; establish palmyrah fibre production centres with community based organisations and provide fibre production plant and training with the view to improve the palmyrah fibre productions; promotion of palmyrah based products – its nutritional and medicinal values by conducting exhibitions and trade fairs; strengthening the capacity of the tappers and providing tools, equipment and bicycle for tappers, tappers training etc.; promotion of souvenirs specially from unproductive palmyrah trees using timber and other palmyrah based materials; modernising on a pilot basis five taverns to improve service delivery under hygienic conditions.

These high impact special projects also focuses on industry-based, demand-driven, applied research which include research on climbing devices to facilitate tapping, expanding the expiry period of sweet toddy and introducing bottled sweet toddy, introducing new value added products such as chocolate, jam, palm posha and other new products and expanding the nutritional labelling said Secretary of the Ministry V. Sivagnanasothy.

These projects are intended to improve the quantity, quality and value addition of the palmyrah based sap products such as treacle, sweet toddy, jaggery and sugar candy etc; pulp based products, tuber based products, fibre based products, leaf based products (handicrafts), timber based products to harness the full potentials of the palmyrah tree on a sustainable basis for livelihood of the conflict affected families in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. These special projects have been formulated based on the past success stories, challenges, needs and requirements and future trends in close consultation with the palmyrah producers, consumers, palm development corporative societies, National Planning Department and other concerned stakeholders. 

On 15 April, under special project initiative, in Puthukuddiyiruppu D. S. Division in Mullaitivu and Karachchi D. S. Division in Kilinochchi, more than 60 young women and women headed families were given six months handicraft training and were provided with tools, equipment, and working capital for their self-employment and income generation. The Palmyrah Development Board (PDB) is the implementing arm to provide the training, and technology transfer under the guidance of the Ministry. Special focus will be given to young women, women headed families, disabled/differently abled, IDPs in the welfare camps, refugee returnees from Tamil Nadu India, low income groups and those who are interested in the palmyrah sector. The function was attended by the Chairman, PDB M. Kanapathipillai, Northern Provincial Minister, representatives of palm development corporative societies and other government officials.

The implementation of the high impact special projects and the additional allocation above the normal quota indicate the commitment of the government to strengthen the palmyrah sector in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and to enhance livelihood and income generation opportunities said Secretary, Ministry of Prisons Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs V. Sivagnanasothy.