Final Evaluation of the Mahaweli Watershed Climate Change Adaptation Project Sri Lanka

Context of the service

Sri Lanka's vulnerability to climate change is characterized by a high exposure to extreme weather events and associated natural hazards (droughts, floods and landslides), and a high variability in rainfall. Rural populations are generally most severely affected.

The project "Addressing Climate Change Impacts on Marginalized Agricultural Communities Living in the Mahaweli River Basin of Sri Lanka", funded by the UNFCCC Adaptation Fund, was implemented from 2013 to 2020 by the World Food Programme (WFP) in partnership with the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment (MMDE) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

It targeted more than 14,000 households in 3 districts and included 2 components: (i) strengthening the livelihoods of rain-fed households, and (ii) strengthening adaptation to climate change at both local community and watershed levels.

Services provided

The four evaluators coordinated by SalvaTerra provided the following services:

- In-depth document review, development of the evaluation methodology and preparation of a scoping report;

- Data collection and interviews with key project stakeholders: rural households, WFP, UNDP, Ministries in charge of Agriculture and Environment, etc. ;

- Analysis of the evaluation results and preparation of restitution sessions to present the results and validate the recommendations;

- Drafting of an evaluation report including prioritized and targeted recommendations by type of stakeholder (WFP, UNDP, Ministries and Government Agencies), concerning in particular the rehabilitation of agricultural water facilities and the diversification of sources of income through community enterprises.

Summary of the service

Final evaluation of the climate change adaptation project benefitting more than 14,000 rural households in the Mahaweli watershed, implemented by the WFP, UNDP and the Ministry of Environment (MMDE): Coordination of a 4 evaluators team; In-depth literature review; Data collection and interviews with key project stakeholders; Preparation of an evaluation report including prioritized and targeted recommendations by type of stakeholder (rehabilitation of agricultural water infrastructures, diversification in sources of income, etc.).