Sri Lanka Advances Biodiversity Action Through Kunming Biodiversity Fund Project

Sri Lanka has been endorsed for a project under the Kunming Biodiversity Fund (KBF), placing the country among the first globally to move into large-scale implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The initiative marks a major step in translating international biodiversity commitments into coordinated national action.

The proposal was signed by K.R. Uduwawala, Secretary to the Ministry of Environment, and Vimlendra Sharan, Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO), highlighting strong national leadership and international collaboration. The proposal was developed jointly by the Ministry and local experts to align global biodiversity goals with Sri Lanka’s national priorities.

Invasive alien species remain a growing threat to biodiversity, ecosystems, agriculture, and livelihoods in Sri Lanka. The KBF-supported project aims to address this challenge by shifting from fragmented interventions to a coordinated national biosecurity system. The initiative will strengthen prevention, early detection, rapid response, and long-term management of invasive species.

Led by the Ministry of Environment and implemented by FAO, the project will enhance policies, legislation, and institutional coordination related to invasive species management. Planned measures include updating the national priority invasive species list for the first time since 2015, establishing a digital monitoring system, and improving border control mechanisms.

The project also prioritises community-based ecosystem restoration and inclusive livelihoods, including site-specific eradication programmes, post-eradication monitoring, and initiatives that create economic opportunities for women, youth, and vulnerable groups.

Through catalytic international financing and technical support from FAO, the Kunming Biodiversity Fund will help Sri Lanka scale up biodiversity protection and strengthen long-term ecosystem resilience.