Prolonged dry weather has destroyed thousands of acres of crops across Sri Lanka's dry zone, leaving farming communities, livestock, and wildlife struggling for survival as reservoirs run dry and human-animal conflicts increase.
Sri Lanka's dry zone is facing an acute water crisis as months without adequate rainfall have left irrigation tanks empty and agricultural land barren. More than 8,000 acres of paddy cultivation have been damaged across Monaragala, Polonnaruwa, Hambantota, Anuradhapura and Ampara districts, with Monaragala experiencing the most severe impact. In Trincomalee's Kantale and Thambalagamuwa areas, major reservoirs including Peramadu Wewa, Nika Wewa, Samagi Wewa and 91 Wewa have almost completely dried up, leaving only minimal water reserves.
Farming communities report catastrophic losses. Villagers in Ulpathwewa describe a situation where nearly 80 percent of paddy cultivation has been destroyed, with some families lacking sufficient food and water for daily consumption. Livestock farmers have seen milk production plummet from 20 litres daily to just five litres, as cattle struggle without adequate water and grazing land. Freshwater fishing, another critical livelihood source, has slowed dramatically. In response to these conditions, farmers have opened dried fields to allow cattle to graze on unharvested crops.
The water shortage has created an unusual humanitarian situation where villagers are deliberately preserving remaining reservoir water for wildlife rather than human use. As natural water sources disappear, herds of elephants and other animals are increasingly entering settlements in search of water, compounding the challenges facing already stressed communities.
The Government has announced relief measures, including drinking water provision to 37,890 people in Monaragala and 28,523 in Batticaloa. According to the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board chairman, compensation payments beginning next Friday will provide Rs. 100,000 per hectare for drought-damaged paddy, maize, onion and potato cultivation, with Rs. 3 billion allocated for the programme. However, many families await these payments as their immediate survival needs persist.