The mid-term evaluation of GCP/SRL/049/JPN “Special Programme for Food Security in Sri Lanka” was scheduled in the original project document. The evaluation is being undertaken to make an in-depth assessment of progress achieved thus far and propose recommendations for changes in overall project design and implementation for the remainder of the project period, if deemed necessary. Such recommendations are intended to facilitate and promote national ownership of the programme and, most importantly, to consider the steps needed for sustainability and eventual take-over of the programme from Government and other non-project resources.
The mission visited Sri Lanka from 23 February – 3 March 2004. It held consultations with FAO, the PMU and Senior Government officials in Colombo and attended a meeting of the National Steering Committee on 3 March, at which the mission’s findings and recommendations were presented and discussed. The mission undertook a four-day field trip (25-28 February) to visit four of the nine existing project sites, two of which were older sites (Perisandigamum and Kadahathawewa in North Western Province) and two were new sites (Havandhana in Uva Province and Maduwanwela in Sabaragamuwa Province). On 4 March, the mission moved to the FAO Regional Office in Bangkok for a debriefing there. The full mission itinerary is presented in Annex II, along with the list of key persons met.
