Organic farming can save billions

Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI

Sri Lanka could save a large amount of foreign exchange spent on fertilizer imports and have a healthier nation by encouraging more organic farmers. Rainforest Rescue International Managing Director Charith Senanayake told Daily News Business.

He said unsuitable farming practices in different plantations has seen a dramatic degradation in the quality of water and soil leading to a loss of bio-diversity as well as a loss in income for farmer families.

It has also caused a huge health problem to people. But organic farmers can give consumers a higher value product and increase quality of life by improving the local environment through a reduction in chemical pollution and an increase in bio-diversity.

Senanayake said organic farmers do not take the fertilizer subsidy given by the government and therefore giving some assistance such as donating a cow is one way of encouraging them because they are self-sufficient with basic requirements of infrastructure.

This will motivate other farmers also to convert to organic agriculture helping to build long-term livelihood opportunities.

He said that Rain Forest International has promoted a range of livelihood opportunities at Baddegama as a part of a public-private partnership project to help stabilise farmer incomes in times of fluctuating markets.

The strategies include provision of cows, whose milk can supplement household nutrition and sold on the local market as fresh milk or yoghurt and training in processing garden produce, such as fruits and vegetables into value added products such as chutney and jam.

He said this model enhances forest resort produces and reduce risk during climate change and it will have a huge impact on country's overall economic growth.