updated: 12.05.08
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Matale Regional Economic Advancement Project

The objective of this IFAD-initiated project is to increase the level of profitable economic activity in the district and make a permanent improvement in the incomes of rural poor people. It aims to:

  • increase productivity of poor farmers
  • improve the marketability and marketing of farm produce
  • increase opportunities for employment and self-employment, especially among women and unemployed youth, in both agricultural and non-farm enterprises

The project targets the poorest people, particularly households headed by women, in poor communities in the district, where more than half of small-scale farmers eke out a livelihood on landholdings of less than 0.2 ha. Innovations include commercialization of non-plantation crops, and helping rural poor people take advantage of the province's well-established private sector, good infrastructure and dynamic business environment. The project also provides credit for rural entrepreneurs, including women, to promote off-farm employment.

Source: IFAD

In this section
Contact info
Mr Sunil Fernando
Project Director
104 King Street
Matale
Sri Lanka
mreap@mreap.org
Facts and figures

Total cost: US$14.5 million

IFAD loan: US$11.7 million

Duration: 1999-2006

Geographical area: Matale District in Central Province

Directly benefiting: 30,000 households

Status: closed

Partners

German Agency for Technical Cooperation

Private Sector

United Nations Office for Project Services

World Food Programme