While the people of Sri Lanka are already badly hit by the economic crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic, another blow is predicted – a severe food crisis. Already, the rise in food prices has affected the people, causing a majority of the population to cut down on food intake, drastically.
Around half the population manages with one meal a day, and the malnutrition rate has gone up to about 20%. Thus, besides the immediate problem of hunger, future generations will also be badly affected. The long-standing dependence on chemical fertiliser and imported seed varieties, together with the use of modern equipment and dependence on a supply of foreign fuel, has hit the farmer badly. The prediction is that this year, the Yala crop will be reduced by more than half. This situation has also affected other third-world countries.
A similar food crisis accompanied the severe economic crisis of 1972. For instance, at that time, when we were more dependent on imports than at present, the magnitude of the food crisis led to the cost of importation of a tonne of sugar, which was around £ 40, to rise to £ 600. Dr. N.M. Perera, as the Minister of Finance, informed the people of the magnitude of the crisis and assured them that he would take necessary action to emerge from the crisis. Foreign exchange reserves had dropped to $ 1.3 billion and the availability of dollars to buy the bulk of our food requirements from abroad became impossible.
On his insistence, imports of all non-essentials were banned. This reduced the drain of the dollars so that the required food and other essentials could be imported. With the support of then-Minister of Agriculture Hector Kobbekaduwa, an intensive “grow more food” campaign was launched, and it received the enthusiastic co-operation of the entire society. Dr. Perera raised the allocation for science and technology to promote value-added industries making use of local raw materials, under the leadership of then-Minister of Industries T.B. Subasinghe.
Dr. Perera placed the burden of the economic recovery on the rich and spared the poor. He did this by raising the tax maximum to 75% and spared the poor by not having indirect taxation like the Value-Added Tax. The indirect Business Turnover Tax was also directed to higher-income companies. The Government promoted both producer co-operatives as well as consumer co-operatives and the Left-inclined population saw to it that the co-operative movement functioned efficiently and was free of corruption. Direct communication between the two eliminated the huge profits that are being made by the middlemen and traders today. In addition, the Marketing and Food Control Departments were made active, and they also helped to provide a mobile service to link the producer and the consumer.
Little or no assistance was received from abroad. By 1974-1975, foreign reserves went up to $ 3.5 billion and the economy became stable with no budget deficit in 1974 and a budget surplus in 1975. However, in recognition of the yeoman service rendered by Dr. Perera and the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), the reward was the forcing out of Dr. Perera from the post of Finance Minister and the kicking out of the LSSP. This was because the “international community” led by the US, Britain, and other foreign imperialist powers, stated that they were prepared to invest in Sri Lanka now that the economy was stable.
The Communist Party left the coalition in 1976. You may wonder why the imperialist powers insisted on the ejection of the LSSP and Dr. Perera as a condition for their investing in Sri Lanka. One was the nationalisation of the plantations and the key sectors of the economy, thereby putting an end to much of the direct exploitation of our economy and the people. The other main reason was the implementation of Prof. Senaka Bibile’s Medicinal Drug Policy.
The latter, by calling for international tenders by the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC), which Prof. Bibile had set up, obtained the whole island’s requirement of medicine at a low price. The bulk purchase of such a large quantity led to the medicinal drug mafia (the multinational corporations) having to cut their profits to a large extent. For instance, the Roche company of Switzerland, the producer of the sedative Valium (their trade name for the generic product Diazepam) was forced to drop their selling price from 92 cents per tablet to 52 cents. The Ranbaxy company of India tendered to sell it for only 2 cents. When we confirmed that this product had received a certificate of good manufacturing practice, the decision was taken to test it here and, as it proved effective, it was ordered in bulk by the SPC from Ranbaxy. The Roche company lost 90 cents, while it became possible to use that 90 cents to obtain other medicines for our patients. Not surprisingly, the LSSP was hated by the capitalist class, both here and abroad.
The scarcity and high prices for food today in Sri Lanka is not due to a global drought, as was the cause then. It is due to bungling in decision-making and the dependence of an agricultural system on foreign inputs, like chemical fertiliser, weedicides, pesticides, and the use of imported seed varieties. There are many companies and persons that make a huge profit out of this system of agriculture. Both the farmers and the consumers are exploited by the producers and dealers who employ these foreign inputs. The suggestion that we should turn towards organic farming based on a totally different system using local resources has been ridiculed by the profiteers. Unfortunately, many Sri Lankan scientists and researchers who have been trained abroad also support this point of view.
We are happy that a distinguished Sri Lankan scientist and agriculturalist of international eminence is visiting Sri Lanka for a few days, despite his busy schedule abroad – Dr. C.M. Wijayaratne. He is in high demand in various countries that seek to escape this dependence on foreign-input agriculture. He is at this moment transforming agriculture on the basis of his concept of “collective ecological agriculture” as an alternative to dependence on foreign inputs throughout many third-world countries in South and East Asia, and Africa. For instance, in Pakistan, his project covers an area larger than Sri Lanka, and in India, he is operating in several different states, and also in countries like Vietnam and Sudan. Perhaps, ultimately, Sri Lanka too will reap the benefits of his knowledge, wisdom, and commitment in the interest of ensuring that the people of our country will overcome this food crisis and hunger, permanently.
(The writer is a virologist, Parliamentarian, and the LSSP General Secretary)
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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication.
Solving the food crisis with ‘collective ecological agriculture’
08 Jun 2022
Solving the food crisis with ‘collective ecological agriculture’
08 Jun 2022
While the people of Sri Lanka are already badly hit by the economic crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic, another blow is predicted – a severe food crisis. Already, the rise in food prices has affected the people, causing a majority of the population to cut down on food intake, drastically.
Around half the population manages with one meal a day, and the malnutrition rate has gone up to about 20%. Thus, besides the immediate problem of hunger, future generations will also be badly affected. The long-standing dependence on chemical fertiliser and imported seed varieties, together with the use of modern equipment and dependence on a supply of foreign fuel, has hit the farmer badly. The prediction is that this year, the Yala crop will be reduced by more than half. This situation has also affected other third-world countries.
A similar food crisis accompanied the severe economic crisis of 1972. For instance, at that time, when we were more dependent on imports than at present, the magnitude of the food crisis led to the cost of importation of a tonne of sugar, which was around £ 40, to rise to £ 600. Dr. N.M. Perera, as the Minister of Finance, informed the people of the magnitude of the crisis and assured them that he would take necessary action to emerge from the crisis. Foreign exchange reserves had dropped to $ 1.3 billion and the availability of dollars to buy the bulk of our food requirements from abroad became impossible.
On his insistence, imports of all non-essentials were banned. This reduced the drain of the dollars so that the required food and other essentials could be imported. With the support of then-Minister of Agriculture Hector Kobbekaduwa, an intensive “grow more food” campaign was launched, and it received the enthusiastic co-operation of the entire society. Dr. Perera raised the allocation for science and technology to promote value-added industries making use of local raw materials, under the leadership of then-Minister of Industries T.B. Subasinghe.
Dr. Perera placed the burden of the economic recovery on the rich and spared the poor. He did this by raising the tax maximum to 75% and spared the poor by not having indirect taxation like the Value-Added Tax. The indirect Business Turnover Tax was also directed to higher-income companies. The Government promoted both producer co-operatives as well as consumer co-operatives and the Left-inclined population saw to it that the co-operative movement functioned efficiently and was free of corruption. Direct communication between the two eliminated the huge profits that are being made by the middlemen and traders today. In addition, the Marketing and Food Control Departments were made active, and they also helped to provide a mobile service to link the producer and the consumer.
Little or no assistance was received from abroad. By 1974-1975, foreign reserves went up to $ 3.5 billion and the economy became stable with no budget deficit in 1974 and a budget surplus in 1975. However, in recognition of the yeoman service rendered by Dr. Perera and the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), the reward was the forcing out of Dr. Perera from the post of Finance Minister and the kicking out of the LSSP. This was because the “international community” led by the US, Britain, and other foreign imperialist powers, stated that they were prepared to invest in Sri Lanka now that the economy was stable.
The Communist Party left the coalition in 1976. You may wonder why the imperialist powers insisted on the ejection of the LSSP and Dr. Perera as a condition for their investing in Sri Lanka. One was the nationalisation of the plantations and the key sectors of the economy, thereby putting an end to much of the direct exploitation of our economy and the people. The other main reason was the implementation of Prof. Senaka Bibile’s Medicinal Drug Policy.
The latter, by calling for international tenders by the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC), which Prof. Bibile had set up, obtained the whole island’s requirement of medicine at a low price. The bulk purchase of such a large quantity led to the medicinal drug mafia (the multinational corporations) having to cut their profits to a large extent. For instance, the Roche company of Switzerland, the producer of the sedative Valium (their trade name for the generic product Diazepam) was forced to drop their selling price from 92 cents per tablet to 52 cents. The Ranbaxy company of India tendered to sell it for only 2 cents. When we confirmed that this product had received a certificate of good manufacturing practice, the decision was taken to test it here and, as it proved effective, it was ordered in bulk by the SPC from Ranbaxy. The Roche company lost 90 cents, while it became possible to use that 90 cents to obtain other medicines for our patients. Not surprisingly, the LSSP was hated by the capitalist class, both here and abroad.
The scarcity and high prices for food today in Sri Lanka is not due to a global drought, as was the cause then. It is due to bungling in decision-making and the dependence of an agricultural system on foreign inputs, like chemical fertiliser, weedicides, pesticides, and the use of imported seed varieties. There are many companies and persons that make a huge profit out of this system of agriculture. Both the farmers and the consumers are exploited by the producers and dealers who employ these foreign inputs. The suggestion that we should turn towards organic farming based on a totally different system using local resources has been ridiculed by the profiteers. Unfortunately, many Sri Lankan scientists and researchers who have been trained abroad also support this point of view.
We are happy that a distinguished Sri Lankan scientist and agriculturalist of international eminence is visiting Sri Lanka for a few days, despite his busy schedule abroad – Dr. C.M. Wijayaratne. He is in high demand in various countries that seek to escape this dependence on foreign-input agriculture. He is at this moment transforming agriculture on the basis of his concept of “collective ecological agriculture” as an alternative to dependence on foreign inputs throughout many third-world countries in South and East Asia, and Africa. For instance, in Pakistan, his project covers an area larger than Sri Lanka, and in India, he is operating in several different states, and also in countries like Vietnam and Sudan. Perhaps, ultimately, Sri Lanka too will reap the benefits of his knowledge, wisdom, and commitment in the interest of ensuring that the people of our country will overcome this food crisis and hunger, permanently.
(The writer is a virologist, Parliamentarian, and the LSSP General Secretary)
–--------------------------------------------
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication.
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!