Sri Lanka Multi-Dimensional Crisis: Humanitarian Needs and Priorities (HNP), Response Overview (9 Jun 2022 - 31 Mar 2023)

In early 2022, Sri Lanka was confronted with an unprecedented multi-dimensional crisis, the worst since the country’s independence in 1948. It was exacerbated by an already vulnerable economy still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Inflation, shortages of many essential goods, a reduction in agricultural production over several harvest seasons and rapidly rising food prices resulted to around seven million people in need of humanitarian assistance due to the multifaceted impact of this crisis. Furthermore, up to a third of the population faced some degree of food insecurity.

In response to these humanitarian needs, the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) in Sri Lanka developed the Humanitarian Needs and Priorities (HNP) Plan in June 2022. Between then and March 2023, the HNP reached 3 million people in total or 87 per cent of target, focusing on critical and life-saving needs to avert a full-scale humanitarian crisis. The HNP targeted the most vulnerable segments of Sri Lanka’s population, providing support across priority areas such as food security and livelihoods, nutrition, health, water sanitation and hygiene, protection and education. When launched in June 2022, the HNP asked for US$47.2 million to cover June- September. This was later revised to cover until end of 2022 and required US$149.7 million when it became clear that humanitarian interventions would need to be expanded. Despite partial signs of stabilization, the economic and humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka remains volatile. Food remains inaccessible for a large part of the population, and recent surveys suggest that nearly a fifth of the population continues to be moderately acute food insecure. More than half of households regularly resort to food-based coping strategies such as eating less preferred foods and reducing meal sizes or the number of meals. Food prices remain high, as does the overall cost of living including for health and education. Malnutrition among children under five also continues to be a concern, and high costs of inputs such as fuel and fertilizers threaten the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and fishing communities.

The Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) continues to monitor the situation. It has developed its strategy on Humanitarian Response and Coordination for 2023 to have a common reference to guide a coordinated and appropriate response to continued humanitarian needs during the next nine months of the year and possibly beyond.