• Delay in compensating farmers questioned 
• Actual numbers differ from reports submitted to State Ministry

By Sarah Hannan  Over the last two weeks, when MPs were conducting their political meetings in their respective constituencies, they also made it a point to visit the maize fields that have been destroyed by fall armyworm (FAW) infestations.   Even President Gotabaya Rajapaksa himself was seen stopping by at a maize field to inspect the destruction caused by the FAW in a farm in the Anuradhapura District during his visit.  [caption id="attachment_110752" align="alignleft" width="300"] President Gotabaya Rajapaksa speaks to a farmer at a maize field to inquire the plight they face due to the fall armyworm invasion, 26 December 2020, Photo President Media Unit[/caption] To date, the subject Ministry and the Department of Agriculture stand firm on their word that only about 4-7% of the total maize cultivations in the country has been affected by the FAW infestation during this cultivation season; however, field estimations and farmer testimonies reveal a starkly contrasting picture. When the Ampara District Department of Agrarian Development was contacted, as of 22 December, they had recorded maize cultivation over an extent of 32,358 acres. Ampara District Department of Agrarian Development Assistant Commissioner L.G.C. Somadasa revealed: “16,580 farmers had cultivated maize in the Ampara District during the season, of which, 10,308 farmers have reported that their crops were damaged due to the FAW infestation. A total of 22,608 acres have been affected by the infestation, as per the field observations and reports that we have compiled.” Somadasa elaborated that all this information was gathered for record-keeping purposes, and would be of use should the Department of Agriculture and the State Ministry for Sugarcane, Maize, Cashew, Pepper, Cloves, Betel Production, and Promotion of Allied Products and Export make a decision to release compensation to the farmers that were affected. “Although the officials stated that they were considering paying crop damage compensation to the farmers, there is no directive of such an effort communicated in writing. We consulted the Agriculture Insurance Board regarding the next steps. They informed us that discussions were underway with ministerial and department officials. However, they too await a directive in writing,” Somadasa noted.  

2018 compensation still pending 

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, All-Ceylon Farmers Association National Convenor Namal Karunarathne explained that all farmers that obtain the crop cultivation loans offered by the Government are by default required to obtain an insurance policy from the Agriculture Insurance Board.  “Many of the farmers, when obtaining crop cultivation loans, are asked to pay Rs. 10,000 for a loan amount of Rs. 100,000 that is allocated. The bank deducts a sum varying from Rs. 8,000-10,000 from the loan amount, and credits it to the insurance scheme under the Agriculture Insurance Board. This automatically insures the crops for every cultivation cycle. So, essentially the farmer has obtained a paid insurance policy from the Agriculture Insurance Board,” Karunarathne explained.   He questioned the delays in settling the crop damage claims that were put forth by the farmers for the FAW infestation that took place in 2018, stating: “If the cultivations are insured, and the farmer is mandated to pay a premium every cultivation cycle, the Department of Agriculture by default should be settling their claims. For the crop damage caused by the FAW invasion in 2018, the Department of Agriculture has to release crop damage claims to two districts; Rs. 334,200,000 to Ampara District, and Rs.160,000,000 to Monaragala District.”   In addition to the general insurance scheme that the farmer is forced to obtain, the Government has also taken measures to insure six agro-crops, within which maize cultivation is also included. Under that insurance scheme, crops are protected against natural disasters and mismanaged pest attacks.   “Under the said Government-implemented crop insurance scheme, Rs. 40,000 compensations is to be paid to the farmer per acre of cultivation that comes under pest attacks or is damaged by natural disasters. Unfortunately, the farmer is unable to claim insurance from his paid-for insurance policy through the Agriculture Insurance Board or under the Government insurance scheme,” Karunarathne noted.   Amidst all these challenges, even the seeds have increased in price, Karunarathne revealed. A 5 kg pack of maize seeds was purchased at Rs. 5,000 previously, but has now shot up in price by Rs. 3,200, to cost Rs. 8,200.

Food security not under threat  

When The Sunday Morning inquired from the State Ministry for Sugarcane, Maize, Cashew, Pepper, Cloves, Betel Production, and Promotion of Allied Products and Export Director Development Ransilu Watawala regarding the extent of damage reported due to the FAW infestation during this cultivation season, he revealed that the crop damage and the reduction of expected yield differed between provinces.  “Our foremost concern is to control the spread of the FAW, and from an economical perspective, ensure the crop damage is significantly low and would not threaten the food security of the country,” Watawala exclaimed.   Watawala also confirmed that discussions are currently underway to decide whether compensations are to be paid to the farmers at this point, as measures to control the spread of the FAW have taken priority thus far.   Providing a breakdown of the extent of damage, Watawala noted: “Crop damage or loss of yield has only been reported to the State Ministry in percentages at the moment, with Ampara District and North Western Province recording the highest amount of crop damage. The District Secretariats and the provincial Departments of Agriculture have shared approximate percentages with us.” 

• Out of the near 12,000 hectares (29,652.6 acres) that were cultivated in the Ampara District, only about 30% of the crops have been estimated to be damaged by FAW infestations, the Ampara District Secretariat had reported.  
• In the Anuradhapura District, 25,315 hectares (62,554.7 acres) were cultivated, of which it was estimated that only 1-2% of crops were infested by FAW, which means the expected yield will reduce by 10%, the North Central Province Department of Agriculture reported. 
• 18,500 hectares (45,714.5 acres) in the Uva Province were used for maize cultivation, and due to the FAW infestations, the yield is expected to reduce by 15%, the Uva Province Additional Director for Agriculture had stated.  
• In the North Western Province, 451 hectares (1,114.4 acres) have been damaged by the FAW, and the yield from that province is expected to reduce by 25%, the North Western Province Department of Agriculture reported.  
• In the Matale District of the Central Province, although there were FAW sightings, the pest did not cause considerable crop damage, the Central Province Department of Agriculture reported.