Enabling

Economy

OPEnE proposes to continue with its programs on home gardening, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable fisheries practices, and microenterprises by SHG members to diversity household income and thus be able to manage better economic and other shocks.

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Economic Empowerment
Whilst a largest percentage of Mannar works in fisheries and agriculture, the practices in this sector are neither sustainable nor climate smart and focused on quick returns.

Whilst these practices benefit a few with financial means and/ or political influence, poorer fisher suffer in terms of lost income due to damaged equipment, restriction in fishing days and fish catch yield and this is further aggravated by bottom trawling fishing by Indian vessels
"More importantly those in the informal sector would lack any form of retirement benefits and thus work even when they are aged"
The 2019 Household Income and Expenditure Survey assesses that 17.2 per cent of Mannar households are experiencing moderate or severe prevalence of food insecurity, which is higher than the Sri Lankan norm. The household income shocks during the COVID-19 is likely to have further worsened the food security amongst poorer households in Mannar.
After more than a quarter century of violent conflict, Sri Lanka is returning to peace and economic growth. The protracted civil war, which ended in May 2009, caused devastating loss of life and population displacement, widespread economic disruption, and infrastructural damage in the Northern and Eastern provinces. Although the majority of the displaced population has been resettled, they continue to face significant challenges.

Marginalised groups in the North and East remain disempowered economically, socially and politically. The barriers that impede their progress include resource constraints and an unequal access to available resources, a lack of sustainable livelihood options, weak governance structures, an outdated and unsuitable education system, a disempowered civil society, and an ambiguous reconciliation process