FAO appeal for $16.5 m for Cyclone Ditwah workNewsThe Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters in Rome on Thursday appealed for for international assistance of US$16.5 million to support the early recovery of livelihoods and food security for farming, livestock-keeping and fishing communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. “This appeal focuses on early recovery interventions that are urgently needed to stabilise livelihoods and safeguard food production,” said Vimlendra Sharan, FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The $16.5 million requirement reflects priority early recovery actions, designed to rapidly restore productive capacity and protect livelihoods. FAO also co-leads the Food Security and Livelihoods Sector alongside the World Food Programme and coordinates its response with the Sri Lanka Humanitarian Priorities Plan – Cyclone Ditwah. Without urgent donor support, hundreds of thousands of households risk missing an entire cultivation season, with lasting consequences for food security, nutrition and rural resilience, the FAO said.

Source: Sunday Times January 15, 2026 09:13 UTC