Impacts of Water Scarcity Induced Adaptation Strategies on Livelihood and Household Food Security of Farming Community of Horivila-Palugaswewa and Sivalakulama Cascades of Sri Lanka

The Dry Zone of Sri Lanka is highly vulnerable to water scarcity and hence, adaptation is considered as the key approach in reducing its impacts, especially in the agriculture sector. In this context, a study was conducted to investigate the impacts of farm level and community level adaptation strategies for water scarcity on livelihood and household food security of farmers in Horivila-Palugaswewa and Sivalakulama cascades in Anuradhapura District. Questionnaire survey with two purposive sampling with adapted and non-adapted groups was used for data collection. Use of alternative water source (agro-wells), kekulama or bethma cultivation, and home gardening with vegetable and fruit cultivation were the main strategies considered to distinguish adapted group from the non-adapted group. Man n-Whitney-U test and two sample t-test were used to check statistical significance (p<0.05) of desired outcomes of the strategies.  Results showed that adapted group in Sivalakulama cascade has the seasonal ability of paddy cultivation and secured a marketable yield of paddy in Maha season whilst the harvest obtained from other crops in both Yala and Maha seasons were higher for  the adapted group in Horivila-Palugaswewa cascade. The amount of paddy kept for household consumption in Maha season was higher for the non-adapted group for both cascades. Other than the few benefits shown above, the adaption of farm level and community level strategies for water scarcity did not comprehen sively contribute to the development of livelihood or household food security of farmers in the selected study sites.