The climate-smart agriculture (CSA) concept reflects the ambition to improve the integration of agriculture development and climate responsiveness.

CSA technologies and practices present opportunities for addressing climate change challenges, as well as for promoting economic growth and development of the agriculture sector according to the authors of this country report on Sri Lanka.

For the purpose of this profile, technologies and practices are considered CSA if they maintain or increase agriculture productivity and contribute to at least one of the other objectives, that is, adaptation and/ or mitigation.

Hundreds of technologies and approaches around the world fall under the heading of CSA. In Sri Lanka, traditional and modern climate adaptation strategies co-exist. For example, as a response to climate variability, the country’s ancient rulers built reservoirs for collecting and saving rainwater for irrigation and human and animal consumption during the dry season.

These reservoirs continue to support modern agriculture alongside more recently introduced CSA practices, such as conservation of genetic diversity and indigenous crop and livestock varieties, introduction of high-quality, genetically improved varieties of rice, tea, and maize, adapted planting times, water and soil conservation techniques, intercropping and agroforestry, shade management, mulching, manure production and organic fertilization, crop diversification, and home gardening for increased food security.

Many of the beneficial practices identified for Sri Lanka’s staple production systems are applicable for both small- and large-scale producers.