COLOMBO (News 1st) – OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) says Sri Lanka continues to face a multidimensional crisis compounded by food insecurity, threatened livelihoods, shortages of vital and essential medicines, as well as rising protection concerns.

A 40 percent reduction in agricultural outputs in the 2021/2022 Maha and 50 percent reduction during the 2022 Yala seasons have further exacerbated the situation.

Forecasts for the 2022/2023 Maha season indicate a significantly reduced harvest as well, which, coupled with a food inflation of 85.6 percent in October, means that a significant part of the population is finding it difficult to meet basic needs.

The food security situation continues to be problematic with around three in ten households consuming insufficient food, which includes eating fewer and less diverse diets.

According to the World Bank, Sri Lanka currently has the 6th highest food price inflation in the world..

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