Tackling agriculture issues
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Are Sri Lanka’s agriculture policies floundering? Do we have proper policies to deal with both wet and dry seasons, which is the current issue due to a severe drought and expectations that rains are not due until October? Time tested policies should be the norm rather than a knee-jerk reaction to a crisis!In the midst of this debate, paddy farmers are angry over a multitude of issues, the latest being the non-release of water for their cultivations, vegetable farmers are dismayed over reports of imports of vegetables and egg producers are worried over egg imports from India and the impact on local prices.
On the other side of the spectrum, consumers are worried over the rising cost of food owing to crop losses and imports.
Thousands of acres of paddy lands have been deprived of water from nearby reservoirs owing to the drought and depleting water resources in the catchment areas. Farmers say they were promised water in the months leading to August and these promises were not fulfilled. The authorities say they cannot release water for irrigation purposes since the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) needs it for hydropower generation. The CEB says it would be forced to resort to power cuts if water is released for irrigation purposes.
Farmers counter that their crops would be destroyed and livelihoods affected if water is not released and that this is more important than power cuts.
The CEB view was buttressed by a Cabinet decision this week not to release water for irrigation purposes.
In related issues, the government has also reportedly said that no rice should be used for the production of animal feed and beer owing to an expected shortage in rice stocks.
As I pondered over these issues, my thoughts were disrupted by the discussion by the trio under the margosa tree interspersed with a little humming of a popular baila song about corrupt politicians.
“Apey goviyo godak dushkaratha walata muna denawa niyagaya nisa (Our farmers are having a hard time due to the drought),” said Serapina, while intermittently humming the song ‘Chande Dennepa Hora Thakkadiyanta’ by Priyal Perera, brother of the late Sunil Perera.
“Magey gamey inna nadeyo kiyanawa dahas ganan padu wewi kiyala aswenney prashna hinda may samayey (My relatives in the village say they may lose thousands of rupees due to a poor crop this season),” noted Mabel Rasthiyadu.
“Wathura denney nethnam kumburu walata, govinta wandi denna wewi (If water is not released for irrigation, then farmers need to be compensated),” added Kussi Amma Sera.
As I walked into the kitchen to get my mug of tea, the home phone rang. It was Pedris Appo – short for Appuhamy – a retired agriculture expert who does farming more as a hobby than a vocation.
“I say…….we farmers are having a hard time this season. There is a severe drought and crops are dying for want of water,” he said.
“In such a situation, do the authorities provide compensation for not releasing water and, as a result, crops getting destroyed?” I asked.
“There is no proper policy,” he said.
“This is a serious problem. There needs to be policies and compensation (insurance schemes), if not in place already, for failed harvests if water is not provided through the irrigation system,” I said.
“The government needs to pay close attention to these problems since paddy farmers are producing food to feed the entire nation,” he said.
Indeed rice is the country’s staple diet and for many years there are no tried and tested policies to deal with insuring crops during the dry and wet seasons. Furthermore, farmers are demanding a better price of around Rs. 100 per kg from the current Rs. 60-70 for their rice.
Last year was also a bad year for agriculture as farmers continued to be faced with fertiliser issues, dry seasons and low prices.
According to the Central Bank’s annual report for 2022, the total paddy production of the country declined significantly in 2022, recording its lowest annual production since 2017, amidst severe supply side disruptions, including the shortage of fertiliser. The total paddy production in 2022 was equivalent to 2.1 million metric tonnes of rice and approximately 11 months sufficiency of household rice demand.
In order to arrest the price pressures stemming from rice shortages in the domestic market, the Government initiated measures to import rice during the year. Accordingly, around 783,420 metric tonnes of rice were imported in 2022, compared to 147,091 metric tonnes of rice imported during the previous year, the report said.
In other related developments, farmers are likely to face a crucial year in 2024 as the Maha cultivating season is expected to be hit by a drought as predicted by scientists and weather experts, due to the El Nino effect.
“What is likely to happen is a weakening of the Northeast monsoon which is expected to start around late November 2023,” Peradeniya University Senior Crop Scientist
Prof. Buddhi Marambe was quoted as saying in a Business Times report.
Meanwhile, moves are underway to draft a new agriculture policy focused on entrepreneurial agriculture to tackle the needs of human and animal consumption and ensure food security.
Also suggested is a policy where farmers cultivate
other crops between the two main harvesting seasons of Yala and Maha. This system of cultivation was apparently prevalent in the past and is to be revived in a bid to increase food production.
On importing vegetables, Prof. Marambe emphasised that it is problematic to allow the import of crops when the same crops are being harvested in the country. “What should be done is to import only vegetables and fruits that are in short supply,” he said, adding that it is unwise to take political decisions instead of scientific ones.
Kussi Amma Sera walked into the room just as I was winding up this week’s column on an issue that has dogged Sri Lanka for decades saying, as she gave me a second mug of tea: “Apey govinta hari karadara (Our farmers are in trouble).”
I smiled at her while reflecting on the need for the Government to have a proper policy on the use of water for irrigation and power generation needs. Policies need to address both sectors equally and balance the interest of both farmers and power- usage consumers.
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