Livestock and poultry production in Sri Lanka: challenges and strategies for climate-resilient food security

Livestock and poultry production is critical to Sri Lanka’s food security, providing essential animal-sourced proteins, contributing to economic growth, and supporting rural livelihoods. This review examines the current status, challenges, and opportunities within the livestock and poultry sectors in Sri Lanka. Key performance indicators such as production growth, accessibility, affordability, and disease management are analyzed to assess the industry’s resilience. The study highlights the impact of economic fluctuations, feed price volatility, policy constraints, and climate change on the industry. Integrating climate-resilient strategies into Sri Lanka’s livestock and poultry sectors is essential to enhance sustainability. Key approaches include breeding heat-tolerant animals, introducing climate-smart feeds and nutritional strategies, improving water conservation, adopting climate-resilient housing systems, implementing sustainable waste management, utilizing renewable energy sources, enhancing farmer capacity through training and policy support, and strengthening disease surveillance and biosecurity measures. Implementing these strategies will improve productivity, reduce environmental impact, and enhance resilience against climate extremes. The review also explores the role of integrated livestock systems, digital technologies, and export potential in further strengthening the sector by guiding policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders in developing sustainable and climate-resilient solutions. Addressing these challenges through data-driven policies, farmer empowerment, and investment in innovation is essential to achieving a resilient and self-sufficient livestock industry in Sri Lanka.