Presented to :

Rural Development Programme

Implementation in Developing
Countries: The Experience of
Srilanka
Md Rezaul Karim
Professor
Urban and Rural Planning
Discipline Khulna University

Presented by :
GROUP 4
220419,20,21,22,23
 INTODUCTION
• historically known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist
Republic of Sri Lanka
• is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of
the Bay of Bengal
• The nation has a total area of 65,610 square kilometres with approximately
22 million population
• Sri Lanka is a developing country, ranking 73rd on the Human Development
Index.
• founding member of the SAARC, the G77 and the Non-Aligned Movement,
as well as a member of the United Nations and the Commonwealth of
Nations.
• More than 80% of the country’s population lives in rural communities.
Demographic Features , Religion & Language of SRILANKA
 Discuss the key features and components of the Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) in Sri
Lanka, such as:

Multi-sectoral approach Agricultural Employment generation

Poverty alleviation
development

Social welfare Infrastructure

Healthcare initiatives Housing programs
programs development

Education and skill Community

Financial inclusion Digital inclusion
development participation
 AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT:

• Around 80% of the people live in rural areas and their main income is derived from crops
• Out of the total population in Sri Lanka, 27.1% engages in agricultural activities.Agriculture
accounted for 7.4% of the GDP (gross domestic product) in 2020
Sri Lanka National Agricultural Policy (2007) Policy Factors
Goals and Objectives • Promoting Agricultural Production
1) Increase domestic agricultural production • Seeds and Planting Materials
• Fertilizers
to ensure food and nutrition security of the nation.
• Pesticides
2) Enhance agricultural productivity and ensure sustainable growth. • Agricultural Machinery
3) Maximize benefits and minimize adverse effects • Irrigation and Water Management
of globalization on domestic and export agriculture. • Land Use
• Soil Conservation
4) Adopt productive farming systems and improved agro-technologies
• Agricultural Credit
with a view to reduce the unit cost of production and increase profits. • Agricultural Insurance
5) Adoption of technologies in farming that are environmentally • Agricultural Research
friendly and harmless to health. • Post Harvest Technology
6) Promote agro-based industries and increase employment opportunities.
• Marketing
7) Enhance the income and the living standard of farming community.
 Poverty alleviation:
• Sri Lanka was not required to prepare a PRSP since it Key elements
was not applying for HIPC debt-write-off. However, as • The Poverty Reduction Strategy (June 2002)
a recipient of aid from the World Bank’s International
Development Association, the arm that lends to the • The National Framework for Relief,
poorest of the poor on highly concessionary terms, and Rehabilitation and Reconciliation (June 2002)
the IMF’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility
• Regaining Sri Lanka (May 2003)
(previously the Enhanced Structural Adjustment
Facility), Sri Lanka was obligated to prepare a PRSP.
This was further necessitated by the economic and
fiscal crisis in 2000, which forced Sri Lanka to seek
enhanced support from the multilateral institutions. In
an effort to make a symbolic distinction from PRSPs,
Sri Lanka termed its PRSP as a Poverty Reduction
Strategy - minus the ‘Paper’, thereby differentiating it
as its own government strategy rather than donor-
enforced.
 Employment Generation

The process of employment generation and development in Sri Lanka involves various factors, policies, and strategies.
Here are some key aspects of the employment generation development process in Sri Lanka:
• Economic Policies and Reforms: Sri Lanka's government plays a crucial role in creating a conducive environment for
economic growth and employment generation. Economic policies and reforms are designed to attract investments,
promote entrepreneurship, and foster a competitive business environment.
• Investment Promotion: Encouraging both domestic and foreign investments is vital for economic development. Sri
Lanka may implement policies to attract investors, provide incentives, and create special economic zones to stimulate
industrial growth.
• Education and Skills Development: A skilled workforce is essential for economic development. Sri Lanka focuses on
improving its education system and implementing training programs to enhance the skills of its workforce, aligning them
with the demands of the job market
• Technology and Innovation: Embracing technology and fostering innovation can drive economic growth and create new
employment opportunities. Encouraging research and development and supporting tech-driven industries can be part of
the strategy.
 Social Welfare Programs

Social welfare programs have played a significant role in Sri Lanka, particularly in addressing the needs of
the rural population. Like Samurdhi, Janasaviya, Free Education and Healthcare etc.
1. Samurdhi: This is the largest and most well-known social welfare program in Sri Lanka. Launched in
1995, Samurdhi provides monthly cash grants to low-income families, primarily targeting women.
2. Janasaviya: This program, introduced in 1989, was a predecessor to Samurdhi and provided direct
income transfers to low-income households. While Janasaviya was eventually replaced by Samurdhi.
3. Free Education and Healthcare: Sri Lanka boasts a long-standing commitment to providing free
education and healthcare to all its citizens. This commitment has significantly improved literacy rates and
life expectancy in the country, including in rural areas.
4.Rural Infrastructure Development: The government implements various programs to improve rural
infrastructure, such as building roads, irrigation systems, and electricity grids.
Sri Lanka's social welfare programs are constantly evolving to address emerging challenges and adapt to
changing circumstances. As the country strives for sustainable development, continued efforts are required
to ensure these programs effectively contribute to improving the lives and livelihoods of rural
communities.
 Infrastructure Development
The current infrastructure development policy of Sri Lanka attempts to support the government’s thrust to achieve a
regionally balanced economy that gives special attention to address economic and social disparities across the urban and
rural areas.
This was brought in with the launch of the Ten-Year Horizon Development Framework (2006-2016) which included the
initiation of the ‘Randora’ (infrastructure development) programme at the national level. In addition to these, the
government also introduced the
‘Gama Neguma’ (village development), ‘Gemidiriya’ (village strengthening) and ‘Maga
Neguma’ (road development) programmes operating at the regional level.

The policy focus of developing the economy by strengthening villages as a centre of

development has been the thrust of the rural infrastructure initiatives of the government.
The main programme – Gama Neguma – has expanded to nearly 13,000 Grama Niladari
Divisions (GNDs) by implementing about 30,000 projects at a cost of Rs.13 billion. The
rural road development programme – Maga Neguma – has involved the rehabilitation of
around 1,350 km of rural roads in 2008/09, with most roads being concreted to ensure
durability (Ministry of Finance and Planning, Annual Report 2009).
Healthcare Initiatives
• 2022, Sri Lanka embarked on an ambitious journey with the launch of the Health
Information and Quality Improvement Project. This ongoing initiative, slated for
completion in December 2024, stands as a testament to the nation's commitment to
transforming healthcare through the power of digital innovation.
• The origin of this project was rooted in a critical challenge: the absence of a well-
defined digital health blueprint within the healthcare sector. This void led to
fragmented technology utilization, inadequate data security measures, missed
opportunities for innovation, limited interoperability, disparities in healthcare access,
inefficient resource allocation, inhibited data-driven decision-making, resistance to
technological adoption, and regulatory uncertainties. Recognizing these hurdles, Sri
Lanka set out to chart a new course in healthcare.
• The Health System Enhancement Project (HSEP) is a primary health care serve
development project financed by Asian Development Bank (ADB). The value of the
project is USD 60 million comprising USD 37.5 million in concessionary loan, USD
12.5 million grant and USD 10 million as counterpart contribution from the
Government of Sri Lanka . The project is delivered through a project investment
modality and is effective from 05th of February 2019 and will be closed on
November 2023. The project will be implemented in all nine districts of Central,
North Central, Uva and Sabaragamuwa Provinces.
 Rural Housing
Status of Rural Housing : While it can be observed that housing in the rural areas has
improved tremendously over the last three decades, pockets of poverty still exist. Wattle
and daub walls with cadjan or reed roofing were the housing norm in the villages of the
island in the past, but they are few today. As per the 2012 Census there are 4,133,982
housing units in the rural areas of which 706,300 are semi-permanent and 280,910 are
improvised. These numbers include the previously conflict-affected areas of Jaffna,
Mannar, Vavunia, Mullaitivu, and Killinochchi districts.

In the Rural Housing Sector, the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) has
been the main agency since 1984 implementing nation-wide programmes. The NHDA
currently provides small loans of Rs. 100,000 to Rs.300,000 at affordable interest rates
from 3.73% to 6.0%. The issues of housing of the fishing communities based on special
livelihood and location needs have to be addressed through a targeted programme. They
may not always be housing but may possibly be community development programmes
based on need.
Education and skill development:

Sri Lanka recognizes the importance of education and skill development in rural development. The
country has implemented various strategies and programs to enhance the access, quality, and relevance
of education and training for its rural population:

• Sri Lanka's public TVET system has 33 statutory bodies and training institutes under 15
ministries. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development (MYASD) is the main institution
responsible for technical and vocational education and training. Sri Lanka recognizes the
importance of vocational training in equipping its youth with the skills needed for the evolving
economy.

• Sri Lanka offers free education from primary school to university degree level, but only 35% of
the country's population has completed secondary-level education. Sri Lanka has been investing in
the infrastructure needed to provide quality education across the country, including in rural areas.
The country has also focused on enhancing the quality of its teachers through robust training and
deployment strategies.

• Sri Lanka has leveraged partnerships with NGOs and the private sector to enhance its education
and skills development initiatives

• In 2020, Sri Lanka declared 2021 – 2030 the Decade of Skills Development. This initiative is
expected to transform the general, higher, and professional education and vocational education
Digital inclusion:

Inclusive Digital Agriculture Transformation (IDAT) in Sri Lanka:

• The Sri Lankan government has embraced digital technologies to
enhance citizens' quality of life, with a focus on the agriculture sector.
• The strategic vision aims to empower the government with unified
agri-data, promoting efficiency and transparency across value chains
through digital interventions.
• Objectives include data-enabled decision-making, resource efficiency,
investment in digital infrastructure, technology adoption, and climate
resilience.

Urban-Rural Gap and Digital Literacy:

• Sri Lanka faces an urban-rural divide in internet access and digital
literacy.
• Urban areas have better infrastructure and connectivity, while rural
regions lag behind.
• In 2021, urban digital literacy was 72%, while rural and estate sectors
recorded levels of 55.2% and 38.2%, respectively.
• Bridging this gap is crucial for empowering all Sri Lankans to exercise
their digital rights fully.
National Digital Strategy 2030:
The strategy aims to reduce barriers and expand access to digital technologies, data, and services for all.

Smart Village Concept:

• Integrating smart technologies can enable rural area development.
• Examples from other countries include Germany's "Digital Village" and Catalonia's "Cowocat rural" project.

Digital inclusion holds immense potential for rural development, fostering economic growth, education, and empowerment.
Microfinance and Small Business Development:

Microfinance plays a crucial role in small business

development by providing financial services, such as loans,
savings, insurance, and sometimes even financial literacy
training, to low-income individuals or entrepreneurs who
typically lack access to traditional banking services. This
form of finance is particularly beneficial for small businesses
in developing countries or marginalized communities where
formal banking services are often inaccessible or too
expensive.

Access to Capital
2. Empowerment of Women
3. Poverty Alleviation
4. Financial Inclusion
5. Capacity Building
Environmental Sustainability:

Sustainable rural development takes

into account environmental
conservation and natural resource
management. This includes promoting
sustainable agricultural practices,
forest conservation, renewable energy
initiatives, and addressing climate
change impacts on rural communities.