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Organic Farming in Sri Lanka

The agricultural production system in Sri Lanka consists of two traditional and well-defined components. One is the plantation section, established during the colonial period, consisting of large units, and producing perennial crops such as coffee, tea, rubber, and coconut mainly for export. The other is the smallholder sector comprised of small farms which produce most of the country’s rice, vegetables, legumes, tubers, spices, and fruits.

Fertilizers and pesticides have long been used for the production of plantation crops in Sri Lanka. Until several decades ago, most of the smallholder operations were farmed with little or no input of agricultural chemicals. Today, with emphasis on greater production to meet increased food demands, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is increasing throughout the smallholder sector: There is also growing interest and demand for producing organically-grown food products for export. Some production units have already experienced considerable success in such ventures. Organic food production and marketing could be greatly expanded in Sri Lanka. However, research is needed to develop organic farming systems and practices that are efficient, productive, and profitable.

Sri Lanka, situated off the southeastern coast of the Indian subcontinent, is an island with tropical climate, which is influenced by two monsoons. These monsoons bring abundant rainfall from the northeast and southwest during the months of October to January and April to July, respectively.

Due to the availability of rainfall, the presence of a warm, humid tropical climate and rich soil, the country has traditionally been involved in agriculture.

The Agricultural Situation

Cultivation of coffee, tea, rubber, and coconut emerged as principal agricultural export crops. Consequently, land for food production was lost to these perennial plantation crops. This occurred primarily in the wet zone, because of the availability of suitable land and climate for the perennial crops.

The Plantation Sector

The Plantation Sector became import-dependent and their productivity was based on the application of inorganic fertilizers and other chemicals to maintain soil productivity. A high input of chemicals became a principal requirement of these units, a practice that has been maintained to the present time.

Most of the units producing these perennial plantation crops also use chemical fertilizers to maintain a high level of productivity, which accounts for their success.

Currently, because of the demands for increased production of these commodities, increased competition from other countries, and declining commodity prices, the input of agricultural chemicals in the plantation sector is increasing.

The Smallholder Sector

The food producing sector of Sri Lanka is characterized by smallholder units, scattered throughout the country. These units produce rice, vegetables, legumes, tubers, spices, and fruits. Due to our increasing population, increased cost of imported food, and diminishing resources for food production, especially land, greater production is the goal of the smallholder sector. The export of produce from these agricultural ecosystems makes them deficient in resources, especially plant nutrients needed to maintain their ecological stability, productivity, and sustainability. Most annual food production units grow two crops per year in seasons determined by the monsoons. These are dependent on chemical fertilizers to replenish plant nutrients that are lost through marketing and export.

The rice producing sector of Sri Lanka is greatly dependent on chemical fertilizers, especially nitrogen and potassium. Most farmers use nitrogen because of proven visible benefits of this nutrient. Increased use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is also based on the use of improved high yielding varieties that are responsive to these inputs.

The Organic Farming Sector

Much of the agricultural sector of Sri Lanka has become dependent on agricultural chemicals. Fertilizers, pesticides, and growth regulators are widely used because of the increasing demand for food quantity, rather than quality, from a limited land area. Recently, however, interested individuals have developed organic farming units. These have been established from accumulated knowledge on the benefits of organic farming, and because of increasing demand for export of organically-grown products. These units which are scattered in the wet zone are considered negligible in the agricultural sector, since productivity is somewhat less than the traditional farming units which use agricultural chemicals.

Exports of organically-grown agricultural products to the western world are increasing. Vegetables, fruits, and spices grown without fertilizers and pesticides bring premium prices, thereby enhancing the economic viability of these production units. Nevertheless, the lack of research and extension programs on organic farming is the principal constraint to the development of productive and profitable organic farming in Sri Lanka.

The Future of Organic Farming

It is unlikely that organic agriculture will play a very significant role in meeting the food production requirements of development programs in Sri Lanka. This is because of the ever increasing demand for greater quantities of food, and expressed doubts that strictly organic methods of agriculture can meet this demand.

Nevertheless, the concept of exporting quality foods grown under hygienic conditions without the use of agrichemicals, especially pesticides, and at premium prices, has attracted attention. Some production units have already been established with considerable success, and there appears to be an opportunity for their expansion to meet export demand. These units could also be developed under the self-employment schemes pursued by the state to solve unemployment problems. Export production villages could easily be established to cater to the demand for organically-grown products. Thus, the future of organic farming is promising in Sri Lanka primarily as an export or specialized commodity enterprise, rather than a general agricultural program.

A major constraint to the expansion of organic agriculture is the lack of research on the viability and sustainability of organic farming under local conditions. Research on organic farming has been centered around the use of some by-products such as straw  as substitutes for imported inorganic fertilizers for rice and other highland crops. A few isolated studies have reported the use of Azedirachta indica (neem) as a pesticide.

The primary use of organic farming methods is seen in home gardening and some smallholder farming operations. However, with sufficient emphasis on research at the initial stages, followed by a well-developed extension program, government awareness can be directed toward organic agriculture.

References

Organic Farming in Sri Lanka, U. R. Sangakkara and S. Katupitiya, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Sangakkara, R. 1989. Characteristics of tree crop smallholdings in the mid-country of Sri Lanka. In S. A. Sajap et al. (ed.), Proceedings of Regional Symposium on Recent Development in Tree Plantations of Humid/Subhumid Regions of Asia.