[{"bbox": [131, 120, 712, 147], "category": "List-item", "text": "- strengthening policy making capacities of public institutions."}, {"bbox": [131, 157, 1100, 237], "category": "Text", "text": "The Government of Sri Lanka requested the European Union to join the efforts and contribute in priority to 1. the introduction of innovative packages and associated market and production infrastructure in lagging districts/areas and 2. the improvement of the institutional capacities of the Government."}, {"bbox": [131, 247, 1101, 590], "category": "Text", "text": "1. The Ministry of Agriculture is targeting priority districts with high poverty headcount, high number of poor and agricultural potential located in the Central, Uva, East, North, and North Central Provinces. The choice of the final districts to be supported by the EU will be based on the priorities identified by the Government and the EU strategic priorities especially in the areas of environment, climate change, water management, sustainable agriculture, nutrition sensitive agriculture and value chain development. Flexibility for new agricultural approaches will be given during the design and implementation of this component. Small-holder farmers will benefit from a comprehensive approach that will look at the conditions for improved production and marketing. This component will be designed based on an assessment of crops available, farmers choices and preferences, potential for development and value addition, environmental/social/regulatory framework, technology needed and knowledge gaps. Small-holder farmers through established farmer companies will work with the support of service providers to develop the production and marketing system and will be the owners of the interventions made. When needed, the action can support the rehabilitation/construction of market and production infrastructure."}, {"bbox": [131, 600, 1101, 709], "category": "Text", "text": "2. Improvement of the institutional capacities of the Government. The Government will be supported in the preparation of credible and relevant policies, legislation and capacities to support the reform and modernisation of the agriculture sector. A special attention will be put on the areas of PFM/macroeconomic, policy dialogue and transparency/oversight of the budget."}, {"bbox": [131, 719, 1101, 906], "category": "Text", "text": "This component could also greatly benefit from the Food and Nutrition Security Impact, Resilience, Sustainability and Transformation (FIRST) facility, set up through the EU Global Public Goods and Challenges thematic programme in 2014, which aims to enhance the capacities of governments and regional administrations to improve sustainable agriculture policies and their implementation by providing policy assistance and capacity development support. Sri Lanka has been selected as priority country to receive support from FIRST and it was planned to mobilize an expert in the country during the course of 2016. The expert was to be located at the FAO office but should later move within the Government structure."}, {"bbox": [131, 917, 1101, 1079], "category": "Text", "text": "The Information for Nutrition Food Security and Resilience for Decision Making (INFORMED) programme contributes to strengthening resilience to withstand food crises as a result of human-induced and natural disasters. It provides regular, timely and evidence-based information to decision makers as a mean to achieve this goal. The latter is closely linked to the current efforts to improve the agriculture statistics in the country. Sri Lanka has already been identified as a beneficiary country under the new EU-INFORMED programme."}, {"bbox": [610, 1697, 623, 1718], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "7"}]