SL’s Livestock Insurance Scheme – a historic first

In a bold step to address one of Sri Lanka’s most pressing conservation and rural development challenges, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) and LOLC Insurance, under the guidance of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), on Tuesday unveiled the country’s first Livestock Insurance Scheme.

- BY IFHAM NIZAM

The pioneering initiative provides rapid monetary compensation within 72 hours to farmers who lose livestock to leopard attacks, marking a first in Sri Lanka — and in the wider South Asian region. By cushioning the financial shock for rural communities, the scheme aims to eliminate retaliatory killings of the endangered Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya), while also securing the economic stability of farming families.

"This programme offers a practical and timely solution to a longstanding challenge in leopard conservation, said Ranjan Marasinghe, Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, speaking at the United Nations compound in Colombo.

He added: "By ensuring affected farmers are compensated swiftly and fairly, we reduce the risk of retaliatory actions and build trust between communities and conservation authorities."