WFP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific - 2016 SPRs RBB 2016 SPRs by country | Página 767

Standard Project Report 2016
disparities exist with high rates of undernutrition in the Uva and Northern Provinces (MRI, 2012). Sri Lanka is the
only country in the world where the rates of acute malnutrition are higher than those of chronic malnutrition.
According to a nutrition survey among primary school children conducted by the MRI in 2016, 1 in 3 children aged
6-12 years was found to be underweight and 1 in 5 was anaemic. If not prevented, malnutrition will continue to
affect school-aged children, negatively impacting their ability to learn and develop.
Rice is the staple food in the country and a large proportion of it is produced locally. Agriculture accounts for only
7.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), but nearly one-third of the country's labour force is dependent on the
sector and productivity remains low. Rice cultivation is primarily rain-fed and is therefore vulnerable to erratic
weather patterns.
National level food availability in Sri Lanka is currently not a significant concern, and at present, 80 percent of Sri
Lanka's food requirement is produced domestically while only 20 percent is imported. Road networks in Sri Lanka
have significantly expanded during the last 10 years. This expansion, along with the long term downward trend in
overall poverty levels, gives an indication of improved economic access to food.
Sri Lanka is vulnerable to recurring climate shocks such as floods, landslides, and droughts, which further
undermine the socio-economic status of affected populations. In May 2016, Sri Lanka was hit by Tropical Cyclone
Roanu, that caused the worst flooding seen in 18 years as well as landslides, which destroyed homes and
submerged entire villages. Despite this massive, concentrated rainfall occurrence, both the south west and north
east monsoons failed to bring enough rainfall and by the end of 2016 the country experienced a drought,
significantly affecting paddy cultivation.
The adverse effects of climate change have a negative impact on the affected vulnerable populations whose
livelihoods predominantly rely on rain-fed agriculture. Loss of productive assets and livelihoods is one of the
underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, a greater proportion of women in
Sri Lanka (31 percent) are engaged in the agricultural sector compared to men (25 percent), making them even