Context
Sri Lanka is the fourth largest coconut producing country in the world with the average production of 2800 – 3000 million nuts. For the last two decades, coconut growers were facing many problems which ultimately encountered in the reduction of production and profitability of their plantations. The main factor that contributed to this reduction was the adverse effects caused by the prolong droughts as a result of climate change.
There are possible strategies introduced and recommended by Coconut Research Institute that can be adapted in coconut plantations. Soil and moisture conservation practices, cover cropping, intercropping, advance planting techniques and number of relevant technologies have introduced to adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change.
Even though large number of technologies available and recommended by Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka, coconut growers in the area usually have little or incomplete knowledge on the potential technologies to address the problems. Furthermore, even the technology and knowledge reach the coconut growers; they might not be utilized properly due to lack of background knowledge or financial difficulties. Therefore, more effort is needed for the dissemination of required technology and knowledge within Puttalam district than other traditional coconut growing areas.
CTCN Support
- Conduct a survey to quantify the reasons behind the low level of technology adaptation and to understand the level of technology adaptation required by the coconut growers;
- Organize the meetings for stakeholders;
- Develop a framework and an action plan to overcome the issues to uplift the technology adaptation by coconut growers;
- Implement the strategies to achieve the targeted outputs;
- Implement the programme by introducing solutions for identified issues - field demonstrations, small scale model coconut gardens, mobile technology dissemination methods, etc.;
- Monitoring and evaluation of the impact of proposed program on the technology adaptation of coconut growing community.
Expected Impact
Enhanced soil quality, rehabilitated coconut soils, managed soil water, developed improved farming systems, developed appropriate cultivation practices in non-traditional areas, provided priority to mitigating and adapting to climate change effects.
Seeking Experts
The UN Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) is inviting its Network members to assist Sri Lanka. Interested Network members are invited to submit a form, ‘Expression of Interest(EoI)’. For those who are interested, please visit the UNGM Portal (https://www.ungm.org/Public/Notice/178492) and click the blue button ‘Express Interest’ on your top right. All applicants should also be registered (free of charge) at United Nations Global Marketplace (www.ungm.org).
In case you are not a CTCN network member yet, you may still apply (further details are found in the document).
Please note that this request for expression of interest (EOI) is not an invitation for submission of tenders. Its purpose is to identify companies that would be interested and eligible to participate in the solicitation when issued. Vendors that are deemed qualified upon completion of an objective evaluation of their EOI submission will receive the final tender solicitation documents.