#Project – update
Between 25 February and 7 March 2026, SETIN conducted a mission in Sri Lanka in support of the preparation of the GEF-8 IUCN project “Strengthening Climate-Resilient and Integrated Landscape Management in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka.”
The project aims to promote an integrated approach to landscape management across the Central Highlands Landscape, enhancing ecosystem resilience, supporting sustainable livelihoods, and strengthening coordination among institutions and sectors.
The mission began in Colombo with a series of bilateral meetings with key stakeholders, including IUCN, the Ministry of Environment, and UNDP, to align on the project’s scope, objectives, and expected outcomes.
This was followed by an Inception Workshop that brought together a wide range of stakeholders from national ministries, government agencies, academia, civil society organizations, development partners, and the private sector. The workshop provided a platform to:
- present the project concept and proposed intervention areas
- collect feedback on priorities and ongoing initiatives
- discuss governance arrangements and coordination mechanisms
- identify data availability and key knowledge gaps
- assess risks and opportunities for long-term sustainability
Following the workshop, the mission continued with field visits and district-level consultations in Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Ratnapura, Kegalle, and Kandy, covering key areas of the Central Highlands Landscape.
Meetings with district authorities, technical departments, local organizations, and community representatives, including estate workers and local NGOs, allowed the team to:
- better understand local socio-economic and environmental dynamics
- identify key drivers of land degradation and ecosystem vulnerability
- assess institutional capacities and coordination mechanisms
- explore opportunities for integrated and climate-resilient landscape management
Site visits to proposed intervention areas and exchanges with field-level actors were instrumental in ensuring that the project design reflects on-the-ground realities and local priorities.
This mission represents a key milestone in the project preparation process, ensuring that the design of the GEF-8 IUCN initiative is evidence-based, inclusive, and aligned with national development and environmental priorities.
The SETIN team is composed by Dr. Eric Wikramanayake, Dr. Sevvandi Jayakody as National Consultants, Ana Catarina Mota and Daniel Bazzucchi. IUCN members Saundun Perera, as project coordinator, and Apoorva Randeni, technical support, accompanied the team during the whole mission.
