In a time of crisis, cash transfers can offer a lifeline to Sri Lankan fishers
Susila Kanthi is one of the few active fisherwomen working in one of Sri Lanka’s biggest fishing districts. After nearly 27 years in the trade, she has garnered respect and support from her community.
©FAO/Roar Media
On a largely barren land in Puttalam, Susila Kanthi’s house borders a large salt production factory on one side and vast lagoon on the other. Every Saturday evening, Kanthi (57) gathers her net and oar, setting out to fish on the Puttalam lagoon. She returns home only the next morning, hauling her catch from the night.
In the fishing trade for nearly 27 years, Kanthi is still one of the few active fisherwomen working in one of Sri Lanka’s biggest fishing districts.
“I am the only woman engaged in the fishing industry in Palaviya. There are other women who can ride boats, but they do not go fishing,” says Kanthi.
“I used to go fishing when my husband was alive, and was trained by him, so I continued the trade.”
An amputee and fisherman himself, Kanthi’s husband required support to fish, due to his physical condition. He passed away five years ago. She then became the sole breadwinner of her family.
“My mother lives with us. She is mostly bedridden. There’s also my daughter, granddaughter, grandson, and son-in-law, who is also a fisherman.”
To attend to her mother’s rising medical expenses, Kanthi took up work at a prominent saltern near her home. With vast salt fields in her own backyard, she is no stranger to the workings of the salt industry. Her real passion, however, is fishing.
Kanthi sells her catch to vendors in the area and, on a regular day, she can earn Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,000.
“I like this livelihood. If not for my mother’s expenses, my earnings from fishing would be enough,” she says.
Kanthi worked two jobs whilst being a primary caregiver, but when the economic crisis hit the country, her livelihood nearly vanished, and she was left with almost no income. @FAO/Roar Media
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns, Sri Lanka slipped into a multidimensional socio-economic crisis that threatened the food security of 6.3 million of its people and the livelihoods of vulnerable farmers and fishers across the country. By 2022, the crisis had severely affected the livelihoods of those engaged in the fishing trade and Kanthi was no exception. The widespread fuel shortages and increased cost of fuel and fishing nets made it uneconomical to fish.
During this time, the saltern she works at halted operations as well, due to the shortages, leaving her with little to no income.
“During those six months, there was no way to engage in fishing, and there were times that we had only one meal,” Kanthi tells us.
During this period, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with funding from United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), provided emergency cash assistance to over 5 000 small-scale fishers in nine of the most impoverished fisheries districts. Kanthi received three cash transfers during this challenging period. She used the funds to fulfil her day-to-day household needs as well as her mother’s specific needs.
Today, Kanthi is back to her regular routine. Her days consist of hours spent on the Puttalam waters, production work at the saltern, and caring for her tight-knit family.
“My mother is a great example for other women,” says Kanthi’s daughter, Malithi (26). “She is stronger than most people. It was she who worked day and night when we were young to fulfil all our needs.”
Above all, Kanthi is proud of her hard-earned skills and experience as a fisherwoman. She is also supported by her community.
“Given that I am a woman, and also older, they [the fishermen] support me well. When we are out on the lagoon, they offer me food that they have brought for themselves.”
In Sri Lanka, the economic crisis left many without jobs and a source of income. FAO emergency cash transfers were a lifeline in a time of need. ©FAO/Roar Media
For Kanthi, the emergency cash transfers she received were a lifeline in a time of need. Although her challenges may be far from over, she is certain about continuing her occupation as a fisherwoman even as she grows older. “My hope is to finish building our house, and live here with my daughter and her children.”
Together with its partners, FAO is addressing urgent food security needs through cash assistance, helping families save some of their income to keep their livelihoods alive in the most affected districts of Sri Lanka.
Learn more
· Website: FAO country profile: Sri Lanka
· Website: FAO in Sri Lanka
· Website: FAO Fisheries & Aquaculture