The Ministry of Environment, UNDP and WFP in Sri Lanka collaboratively encourage mainstreaming the use of traditional underutilised crops.
The ‘Lesser-Known Foods of Sri Lanka’ campaign – an advocacy initiative launched by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Food Programme (WFP) in Sri Lanka together with the Ministry of Environment launched on 22 January 2025 sought to reintroduce nutritious underutilised traditional, heirloom food crops into the diet of everyday Sri Lankans. This campaign is directly supported through the Early Action Support (EAS) project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) which plays a critical role in accelerating Sri Lanka’s implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework by integrating biodiversity conservation into national policies and strategies.
A final event to conclude the 6-week long campaign was held yesterday with the attendance of Mr. Gamini Wijesinghe, Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment in Sri Lanka; Ms. Chandani Wilson, Director- Biodiversity, Ministry of Environment; Ms. Malin Herwig, Officer-In-Charge, UNDP in Sri Lanka; Mr. Abdur Rahim Siddiqui, Representative and Country Director, WFP Sri Lanka; Dr. Manjula Wickramasinghe, Dean – Faculty of Technology, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka; and other key government officials and stakeholders from the private sector and academia.
A digital cooking competition was held throughout the campaign, inviting people from all over the country to submit recipes that use underutilised crops. A highlight of the finale event featured the three finalists of the competition in an exciting live cook-off, crowning Dayathree Nayanathara Munasinghe – with a Kaju Dalu Wanjanaya (Cashew leaf curry) as the Winner, Udeshika Hansani with a Madatiya dalu vanjanaya (Red bead leaf curry) and Panchamee Hewavissenti with an Attika vanjanaya (Curried Wild Figs) as Joint Runners-Up. The dishes prepared by the three finalists were judged by famous social media and YouTube personality Dinux Kitchen, along with representatives and partners of the campaign.
Commenting on UNDPs leadership in this campaign, Ms. Malin Herwig, Officer-In-Charge, UNDP in Sri Lanka stated, “This campaign marks a crucial step toward reshaping food systems, reviving local crops and ensuring a more nutritious, resilient future for all. By reintroducing indigenous foods and innovative practices, it supports food security, enhances nutrition and promotes environmental sustainability. We are thankful to all the partners that have come onboard for this important campaign, and we look forward to expanding into tangible and sustainable initiatives to promote these lesser-known foods.”
The campaign included online and offline activities that engaged both urban and rural communities. A key knowledge product of the campaign included the curation of a recipe book, with the support of the Department of Agriculture, comprising over 50 recipes using underutilised ingredients. Over the course of the next few months, this recipe book will be distributed amongst school meal providers enrolled in WFP’s Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) programme who supply meals for over 200,000 school children across seven