Abstract:
Agriculture is the single most activity that consumes the largest portion of available
water resources in Sri Lanka. Industrialization, population pressure and urbanization
have also resulted in a rising demand for water leading to water use issues in the
country. Climate-vulnerable localities with varied and large number of water uses and
water user groups are much prone to water-related issues. The present study
attempts to ascertain the water use related issues in the climate-vulnerable Eastern
slopes of the central highlands. To collect primary data, a questionnaire survey was
administered for a total of 357 farm households in the Kurunduoya and Beliuloya river
basins in the Nuwaraeliya district. In addition, information was collected from
different stakeholders in the agricultural and other sectors, and the estate
communities. Land use change analysis revealed that over the past four decades, the
settlements (133%) and market gardens (43%) where the cash crop cultivation is
intensively undertaken have significantly increased by converting marginal tea lands,
scrub lands and the stream reservations in the mid and upstream areas of the
Kurunduoya basin. Absence of a mechanism for fair allocation of water among a large
number of water users have made the communities in the downstream areas
disadvantageous. Thus, the cultivation extent of irrigable lands in Yala seasons has
diminished by 27% and 16% in minor and major irrigation areas respectively. The
increased and non-regulated water use in upstream areas has been threatening the
primary source of income and household food security of the communities in the
downstream. Adequate interventions by government authorities and the mediation
by the plantation management with the involvement of farmer organizations and
community leaders in the plantation sector have a major role in planning and
execution of appropriate water management mechanisms at different water user
groups along the river basin and the slope for a fair allocation of water among different
water user groups.
