Rebuilding livelihoods after Cyclone Ditwah: ILO supports northern Sri Lankan farmers to restart production

When Cyclone Ditwah swept across northern Sri Lanka in early 2025, Kirushan Shiyamala, a seaweed farmer from Valaipadu, Kilinochchi, watched months of hard work vanish overnight. Strong winds, flooding and saltwater intrusion destroyed seaweed farming structures, seed stocks and productive assets, leaving hundreds of farming families uncertain about how they would rebuild their livelihoods.

The strong winds and saltwater ruined all our lines and seed stocks. It felt like everything we worked for was gone in a single night.
Kirushan Shiyamala - Seaweed farmer, Valaipadu, Kilinochchi.

© thabesan/ilo

© thabesan/ilo

Shiyamala's experience reflected the reality faced by hundreds of small-scale farmers across the northern province. Seaweed cultivation suffered extensive damage, gherkin crops were devastated by flooding and strong winds, Tilapia farmers faced lost fish stocks and damaged cages. Many had already invested their savings in the cultivation season, making the losses even more difficult to recover from.

Recognising the urgent need for support, the the emergency recovery initiative by the ILO, through the Government of Australia and Norway funded GROW project, saw affected framing families receive the timely assistance to restart production. This entailed essential agricultural inputs, planting materials and production assets to approximately 200 seaweed farmers, 1,200 gherkin farmers, and 1,000 farmers cultivating short-cycle crops. The support prioritised women farmers and other vulnerable groups, ensuring that those most affected could resume their livelihoods without delay.

Our vegetable cultivation was completely affected by the storm. Where recovery seemed dauting, the immediate support received was instrumental in restarting cultivation.
Kalaikumar Logamatha - Short cycle vegetable crop cultivator, Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu

For many this support at a crucial moment meant quickly resuming cultivation, stabilising their incomes, safeguarding livelihoods, and continuing to participating in local agriculture value chains. Beyond replacing damaged inputs, the intervention strengthened the resilience of some of the most climate-affected communities in northern Sri Lanka.

The storm and floods that severely affected Sri Lanka also devastated us. It was a very painful time. The rapid assistance we received helped farmers like us to quickly restart our farming activities.”
Selwendran Iven Sasireeka - Gherkin farmer, Olumadu, Mullaitivu.

© vasudev/ilo

© vasudev/ilo

As climate-related disasters become more frequent and severe, timely recovery support plays a vital role in protecting livelihoods and promoting sustainable economic recovery. Through the Generating Resilient Opportunities for Work (GROW) project, the ILO will continue working alongside farming communities and government.