The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has appealed for US$ 16.5 million in international assistance to support the early recovery of livelihoods and food security for communities devastated by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka.
In a statement issued from its headquarters in Rome, the FAO has stated that Cyclone Ditwah was one of the most severe climate shocks to hit the country in decades, impacting all 25 districts and disrupting the lives of more than 2.2 million people.
According to the FAO, over 1.1 million people are now in urgent need of food security, agricultural and nutrition assistance, at a time when households were already under strain from prolonged economic pressures. The cyclone struck just as the critical Maha 2025/26 cultivation season was getting underway, inflicting widespread damage on agriculture, livestock and fisheries. Flooding inundated more than 129,000 hectares of agricultural land, affecting over 227,000 farming households.
The FAO has warned that standing water, debris, siltation and damaged irrigation systems are delaying replanting, while shortages of seeds, fertiliser and access to machinery risk causing irreversible production losses without immediate intervention.
Losses in livestock and fisheries have further deepened the crisis. More than 37,000 cattle and buffaloes, nearly 16,000 goats and sheep, and around 475,000 poultry have been lost.
Damage to fisheries and aquaculture alone is estimated at between USD 66 million and USD 69 million, undermining food availability and household incomes.
“This appeal focuses on early recovery interventions that are urgently needed to stabilise livelihoods and safeguard food production,” FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Vimlendra Sharan has observed.
He has further cautioned that while the total requirements for the agrifood sector to fully recover are far higher, swift early support is essential to prevent long-term losses, worsening food insecurity and increased dependence on food aid.
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