Editing Sri Lanka (section)

=== Transition to biological agriculture ===

In June 2021, Sri Lanka imposed a nationwide ban on inorganic fertilisers and pesticides. The program was welcomed by its advisor [[Vandana Shiva]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=16 June 2021|title=Sri Lanka's shift towards organic farming|url=https://navdanyainternational.org/sri-lankas-shift-towards-organic-farming/|access-date=5 September 2021|website=Navdanya international|language=en-US|archive-date=5 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905105342/https://navdanyainternational.org/sri-lankas-shift-towards-organic-farming/|url-status=live}}</ref> but ignored critical voices from scientific and farming community who warned about possible collapse of farming,<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|title=Opinion {{!}} The ban on chemical fertilizer and the way forward of Sri Lankan Tea Industry|url=https://agrigateglobal.com/reads/opinion/opinion-the-ban-on-chemical-fertilizer-and-the-way-forward-of-sri-lankan-tea-industry/|access-date=5 September 2021|website=Agrigate Global|language=en-US|quote=By diverting the attention of policymakers towards pointless nonscientific arguments instead of promoting such integrated management systems and high technological fertilizer production, will be only a time-wasting effort and meanwhile, the global demand for Ceylon Tea will generate diminishing returns. At present, there are about 500,000 direct beneficiaries from the tea industry and about 600 factories are operating around the country. In general, the livelihood of around 3 million people is directly and indirectly woven around the domestic tea industry.  The researchers and the experienced growers have predicted that a 50 percent reduction in the yield has to be anticipated with the ban of chemical fertilizer. The negative implication of this yield reduction is such that there is a risk of collapsing the banking sector which is centralized around the tea industry in the major tea growing areas including Ratnapura, Galle, Matara, Kaluthara, and Kegalle.|archive-date=5 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905104247/https://agrigateglobal.com/amp/reads/opinion/opinion-the-ban-on-chemical-fertilizer-and-the-way-forward-of-sri-lankan-tea-industry/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Opinion {{!}} Inorganic Fertilizer and Agrochemicals Ban in Sri Lanka and Fallacies of Organic Agriculture|url=https://agrigateglobal.com/reads/opinion/inorganic-fertilizer-and-agrochemicals-ban-in-sri-lanka-and-fallacies-of-organic-agriculture/|access-date=5 September 2021|website=Agrigate Global|language=en-US|archive-date=15 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211015032253/https://agrigateglobal.com/amp/reads/opinion/inorganic-fertilizer-and-agrochemicals-ban-in-sri-lanka-and-fallacies-of-organic-agriculture/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=8 June 2021|title=Sri Lanka Going Organic: Rethink the strategy; Agriculturists Write to President {{!}} The Sri Lankan Scientist|url=https://scientist.lk/2021/06/08/sri-lanka-going-organic-rethink-the-strategy-agriculturists-write-to-president/|access-date=5 September 2021|language=en-US|archive-date=19 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119105054/https://scientist.lk/2021/06/08/sri-lanka-going-organic-rethink-the-strategy-agriculturists-write-to-president/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=30 June 2021|title=Organic Farming In Sri Lanka – Ideology Of Hitler & Sri Lankan Agri "Cults"|url=https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/organic-farming-in-sri-lanka-ideology-of-hitler-sri-lankan-agri-cults/|access-date=5 September 2021|website=Colombo Telegraph|language=en-US|archive-date=15 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211015022319/https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/organic-farming-in-sri-lanka-ideology-of-hitler-sri-lankan-agri-cults/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=25 June 2021|title=Sri Lanka's organic push threatens to backpedal ag progress|url=https://www.agdaily.com/insights/perspective-sri-lankas-organic-push-threatens-to-backpedal-ag/|access-date=5 September 2021|website=AGDAILY|language=en-US|archive-date=3 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211003002356/https://www.agdaily.com/insights/perspective-sri-lankas-organic-push-threatens-to-backpedal-ag/|url-status=live}}</ref> including financial crisis due to devaluation of national currency pivoted around tea industry.<ref name=":7" /> The situation in the tea industry was described as critical, with farming under the organic program being described as ten times more expensive and producing half of the yield by the farmers.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Organic food revolution in Sri Lanka threatens its tea industry|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/1/organic-food-revolution-sri-lanka-tea-industry|access-date=5 September 2021|website=aljazeera.com|language=en|archive-date=4 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904184316/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/1/organic-food-revolution-sri-lanka-tea-industry|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2021 the government declared an economic emergency, as the situation was further aggravated by falling national currency exchange rate, inflation rising as a result of high food prices, and pandemic restrictions in tourism which further decreased country's income.<ref name="BBC News 2021 crisis"/>

In November 2021, Sri Lanka abandoned its plan to become the world's first organic farming nation following rising food prices and weeks of protests against the plan.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Watt|first=Louise|date=21 November 2021|title=Sri Lanka abandons drive to become world's first organic country amid spiralling food prices|language=en-GB|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2021/11/21/sri-lanka-abandons-drive-become-worlds-first-organic-country/|url-status=live|access-date=18 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118001307/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2021/11/21/sri-lanka-abandons-drive-become-worlds-first-organic-country/|archive-date=18 January 2022|issn=0307-1235}}</ref> As of December 2021, the damage to agricultural production was already done, with prices having risen substantially for vegetables in Sri Lanka, and time needed to recover from the crisis. The ban on fertiliser has been lifted for certain crops, but the price of urea has risen internationally due to the price for oil and gas.<ref name="The New York Times 2021sri">{{cite web|last1=Wipulasena|first1=Aanya|last2=Mashal|first2=Mujib|date=7 December 2021|title=Sri Lanka's Plunge Into Organic Farming Brings Disaster|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/07/world/asia/sri-lanka-organic-farming-fertilizer.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107014029/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/07/world/asia/sri-lanka-organic-farming-fertilizer.html|archive-date=7 January 2022|access-date=19 January 2022|website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Jeevika Weerahewa, a senior lecturer at the [[University of Peradeniya]], predicted that the ban would reduce the paddy harvest in 2022 by an unprecedented 50%.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Wallen|first1=Joe|last2=Hewage|first2=Nishantha|date=31 January 2022|title=Sri Lankan families go hungry as cost of food skyrockets|language=en-GB|work=The Daily Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/climate-and-people/sri-lankan-families-go-hungry-cost-food-skyrockets/|url-status=live|access-date=1 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201045654/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/climate-and-people/sri-lankan-families-go-hungry-cost-food-skyrockets/|archive-date=1 February 2022|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>