The Organic Farming Revolution in Sri Lanka in 21st Century

Fears of Low Yield and Decreased Profitability are Unfounded

The Sri Lankan government’s plans to overhaul the country’s agricultural sector and transform it into a fully organic one have been met with skepticism and vocal opposition from some quarters; however, world-renowned experts in the field, speaking at a webinar on regenerative organic farming, have expressed support for the initiative. Dr. Vandana Siva, president of Navdanya International, an international organization that promotes conservation, renewal, and rejuvenation, claims that “fears of low yield and decreased profitability are unfounded” and that “evidence clearly shows that the move has only overall benefits.” Dr. Vandana Siva is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. Sri Lanka’s restriction on the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has caused a great deal of discussion.

In the North-Central Province alone, Sri Lanka’s Agricultural Heartland, Chronic Kidney Disease has been the Silent Killer and a Destroyer of Familial Economies

But for decades, the country’s rural agricultural sector’s reliance on chemicals to raise yields and ward off pests has been the quiet murderer and destroyer of family economies as a result of its reliance on chemicals to increase yields and ward off pests. “Chronic renal illness has been the hidden murderer and destruction of family economies in Sri Lanka’s agricultural heartland, the north-central province in particular.” A growing number of farmers were falling prey to the lethal disease that was originally discovered here in the area in the mid-1990s. Several recent studies on the subject examined a total of 30 566 chronic patients. Simply looking at the numbers offers a disturbing picture of how pervasive the problem has become. Also uncovered by the researchers was that, among those affected, most of whom were men between the ages of 50 and 70, a total of 1 685 deaths, or 17.5 percent, occurred during the first three years of their diagnosis, with 23.2 percent occurring within just a year of their diagnosis. 76 percent of Anuradhapura’s farmers and 65 percent of Polonnaruwa’s farmers made up the bulk of the population.
In 2015, the government of Sri Lanka banned glyphosate-based decide roundup, following the finding by Sri Lankan researchers of a relationship between the chemical and the systematic increase of chronic kidney disease. The prognosis for agriculture in Sri Lanka has improved since the prohibition (CKD). Sri Lanka, on the other hand, still has a long road ahead of it, and its principal objective right now looks to be determining how effective its efforts to wean the farming community from chemical dependency will be. Vandana Siva, a world-renowned environmental activist, is among those who have praised the decision made by the government. For example, she recently participated in a webcast hosted by the National Plantation Management Institute on regenerative organic farming. At the outset of her statement, she expressed her appreciation for the Pesticide Control Act, saying, “So, I also want to commend you for your control of pesticides act.” Added bonus: I’d like to express my appreciation for the partnership between Sri Lanka’s Agriculture and Health Ministries in putting these policies into effect! As the main factor behind the creation of roundups and the treatment of chronic renal failure, you deserve a lot of credit. That ship disaster in Colombo is unfair to your beautiful island, and it occurs at an inconvenient time. When you look at it closely, it looks like it is sending a message. It is delivering nitric oxide, which is used to make both synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and explosives. I recall assisting with the presentation of evidence from Sri Lanka at the Monsanto trial. These poisons are wreaking such havoc on the environment not by happenstance, but on purpose. The majority of those opposed to the country’s organic transition is based on historical concerns about a lack of enough soil nutrients,” says the author.

Chronic renal illness has been the hidden murderer and destruction of family economies in Sri Lanka’s agricultural heartland, the north central province in particular. A growing number of farmers were falling prey to the lethal disease that was originally discovered here in the area in the mid-1990s. Vandana Siva, a world-renowned environmental activist, is among those who have praised the decision made by the government. Sri Lanka still has a long road ahead of it, and its objective is to determine how effective its efforts to wean the farming community from chemical dependency will be.

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By comparison, soil conditions are improving in organic initiatives managed by Dr. Shiva’s group. It has been made possible by the adoption of organic farming technologies and practices. According to her, “I’d like to show you some organic matter statistics from 200 farms, including both organic and chemical farms.” When comparing organic farms today to those that were established 20 years ago, there has been a 99 percent increase in organic matter. According to scientists who have been taught that if you put nitrogen into something, you would get more nitrogen, the 14-point decline on the chemical farms is a puzzle to them. Nitrogen levels in the soil have declined by 22 percent in chemical farms that are fed with urea manufactured from the nitric acid that is leaking into your beach, whilst nitrogen levels in the soil have increased by 100 percent on our organic farms. In the process of using a nitrogen fertilizer to eliminate the organisms that make nitrogen, we are also eliminating the soil’s ability to produce nitrogen. Working with you on this change is something I am looking forward to. This is what we have been doing for the past 36 years, and we want to make all of our knowledge and research available to you as soon as possible. In addition, Dr. Shiva discovered startling linkages between the chemically farmed food we eat and serious medical conditions that were previously unknown to our youth population, including cancer. After viewing our research, Australian health professionals conveyed their awareness of the prevalence of depression among the country’s adolescents while on a visit to our facility. It is believed that zinc deficiency in the soil causes zinc deficiency in the plants, which causes zinc deficiency in the diet, which causes the body to suffer from depression, and manganese deficiency, which has been related to attention deficit disorder 17 less. In addition, the question of how viable organic agriculture will be for countries such as Sri Lanka is important to consider. Dr. Shiva feels that the most important thing is to make money in a way that is socially responsible and to leave a better society for future generations to inherit. Our primary goal in life is to make as much money as possible for ourselves at any cost! The ultimate purpose of life is to make money, but only if we do it while also caring for the rest of the world’s inhabitants. Certainly, we will resort to violence if necessary to make money. We are only stating that we will make money the proper way, and not through violence.

Organic farms have seen a 99 percent increase in organic matter. Nitrogen levels in the soil have declined by 22 percent on chemical farms. Dr. Shiva finds linkages between chemically farmed food and serious medical conditions that were previously unknown to youth population, including cancer. Dr. Shiva feels that the most important thing is to make money in a way that is socially responsible and leave a better society for future generations to inherit.

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Dr. Shiva has Advised the Government of Sri Lanka to be Prepared for a Large International Lobbying Effort

Following the decision of the Sri Lankan government, Dr. Shiva has cautioned the administration of the country to be prepared for a huge international lobbying effort against its decision by crop life, an International Trade Association of pesticide firms that she has termed the poison cartel. The United Nations has asked her to assist in the formulation of a biosafety protocol, which she has agreed to do. When it comes to biosafety, this strategy is referred to as the “CUTTAHAN” approach. Consequently, she was privy to the poison cartel’s ascendance to power over the course of a long period of time due to her membership in the organization she was involved with. “Your government will be under constant pressure from these individuals who identify themselves as crop life,” she stated. Finally, she wished Sri Lanka the best of luck and stated that she would be available to assist the country whenever it was needed. She has been able to survive this animation for the previous four decades. As a result, she was well-versed in the art of resisting the poison cartel’s tactics.

Dr. Shiva has cautioned the Sri Lankan government to be prepared for a huge international lobbying effort against its decision by crop life, an International Trade Association of pesticide firms that she has termed the poison cartel. The United Nations has asked her to assist in the formulation of a biosafety protocol.

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