Poster presentation at the 4th International Rice Congress Title: Agro Ecology (AE) in Sri Lanka: Oxfam Interventions Presenter: Chaminda Fernando, Oxfam, Sri Lanka Venue: BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand Date: October 27-31, 2014

1. Agro Ecology (AE) in Sri LankaAgro Ecology (AE) in Sri Lanka
Interventions
Where we work
Size of the program
Main components
of our Approach
- Small scale peasant agriculture
- Post war context
- Dry zone with water scarcity
- Low land productivity
- Negative health impacts of chemical agriculture
- Small scale peasant agriculture
- Post war context
- Dry zone with water scarcity
- Low land productivity
- Negative health impacts of chemical agriculture
- Main agricultural Province
- High usage of chemical fertilizers
- Epidemic of kidney disease is spreading as a
result of
high chemical usage
- Unsustainable livelihoods of farmers
- Vulnerable for natural disasters, especially
draughts and occasional floods
- Plantation sector who were settled for labor
work in tea, rubber and coconut states
- Very poor small holders of agricultural lands
- Highly populated and poverty increase
- Food security is challenged
North
North
Central
North
Western
Central
Estern
- Small scale producers sell their agricultural land since
they cannot bear the high production cost
- Agricultural lands are bought by big investors for
tourism and large scale mono-cropping Level / Impact & Approaches
Impact Approach
National Level:
1. Government support for agro ecology
through increased budget allocations
(subsidy, market support, R&D etc)
2. Strong national level farmer/CSO
movement to promote agro ecology –
with strong women leadership
3. Specific program by the Department
and Ministry of Agriculture to promote
agro ecology
National Level:
1. Support national level civil
society movements to campaign on
the need for an agro ecology based
approach
2. Collaborate with relevant
Ministries and departments to
influence policy and program
changes
District / Provincial Level
1. Agro ecology has been mainstreamed
in District agriculture development
plans and Provincial agricultural policies
2. Increased expansion of agro
ecological practices within the district /
province through the programs of other
stakeholders
3. Increased women leadership at
District / Provincial level
Community Level:
1. More farmers using agro ecology
practices ( 40% of the target
community)
2. Sustainable local food production /
increased resilience for external shocks
/ economic and social empowerment of
SSPs (especially women)
3. Better household and community
nutrition / health outcomes
District / Provincial Level:
1. Facilitate broader civil society /
multi-stakeholder networks to
share knowledge, techniques and
experiences to replicate agro
ecological practices
2. Influence regional policy makers
to implement favorable policy /
program changes for agro ecology
3. Supporting regional trainer pools
Community Level:
1. Promotion of agro ecology
practices among target
communities through
- Technical transfers to farmers
through partners
- Piloting new technical
innovations
- Model establishment
Insider and outsider
tactic:
support farmer and CS
movement led
campaigns
to build political
pressure
while engaging with the
Government to develop
solutions based on agro
ecology
Highlight issues related
with the present
agriculture system
(Kidney disease /
cancer etc) through
research, public
mobilizations and
media
Link research institutes
to gather and
disseminate evidences
on the viability of agro
ecological approaches
- Ecological home gardens / market gardens / agro
forestry
- SRI and ecological paddy cultivation
- Value chain development and marketing
- Campaign and advocacy
- Research
- Networking and movement building
Country program budget allocations
Number of farmers