THE EFFECT OF FERTILIZER SUBSIDY ON PADDY PRODUCTION OF SMALL SCALE FARMERS: SPECIAL REFERENCE IN POLONNARUWA DISTRICTIN SRI LANKA

Paddy cultivation is major part in rural agriculture sector in Sri Lanka. Majority of rural sector paddy farmers are small-scale producers. According to available data paddy production sector provides livelihood opportunities for large numbers of rural population, provide rice requirement of the nation, provide inputs to other industrial sector etc.To enhance small-scale farmers living condition as well as paddy production, Sri Lankan government promotes paddy farmers to use more fertilizer for their paddy cultivation activities. Therefore, Sri Lankan government provides subsidized fertilizer to enhance both paddy production and paddy yield per acre. Last few decades paddy production and paddy yield per acre data show continues increasing trend. At the same time government expenditure on fertilizer also becomes heavy burden to national budget. There are arguments for and against to fertilizer subsidy program and its practice. This study attempts to study the effect of fertilizer subsidy on paddy production and living condition of small-scale farmers in Polonnaruwa district in Sri Lanka. The data are used to estimate an econometric model to find the relationship between paddy productivity, fertilizer subsidy, agricultural infrastructure facilities and farmers education level. The data were collected from Bubula and Raja-elagama villages in Higurakgoda divisional secretariat in Polonnaruwa district. Structured questioner was used to collect the data from 150 farmers. The results show that there is significant relationship between paddy production and dependent variables named fertilizer subsidy, agricultural infrastructure facilities and farmers education level. Especially fertilizer subsidy and paddy productivity is significant at 5 per cent level and R2 was 0.68. This result shows that government main objective of fertilizer subsidy that improves paddy productivity has been fulfilled. At the same time, household income from paddy has also increased and it has affected their livelihoods. But poor agricultural infrastructural facilities have mitigated farmers’ income. Research results and some empirical evidence have concluded that it is important to find alternative methods to select suitable and needy farmers who are eligible to get fertilizer subsidy because conducting methods of distributing have made many kinds of effects on the efficiency of resource utilization, equity of income distribution as well as government budget. Agricultural infrastructure facilities are very important for making fertilizer subsidy programs more meaningful and to have a significant effect on enhancing paddy farmers’ living conditions.

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Assessing the social and economic benefits of organic and fair trade tea production for small-scale farmers in Asia: a comparative case study of China and Sri Lanka

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170515000162 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 246-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Yuhui Qiao ◽

Niels Halberg ◽

Saminathan Vaheesan ◽

Steffanie Scott

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Fair Trade ◽

Organic Agriculture ◽

Organic Production ◽

Social Benefits ◽

Farm Income ◽

Small Scale ◽

Organic Tea ◽

Certified Organic ◽

Small Scale Farmers

AbstractOrganic agriculture has the potential to provide improved livelihood opportunities, increased income and social benefits for resource-poor small-scale farmers. It has thus become a popular strategy for economic development and poverty reduction in many areas of the global south. However, there has been limited empirical research regarding the actual benefits of certified organic production, particularly when organic is combined with fair trade certification, and for small-scale farmers who are not engaged in coffee or banana production. Further research is needed to demonstrate experiences of farmers under diverse socioeconomic conditions, organizational contexts and degrees of market access. To address these gaps, two surveys of certified organic and fair trade tea producers in China and Sri Lanka were undertaken to investigate the contributions of organic crops to the household economy. In both cases, organic production required lower investment in terms of external inputs but a higher input of farmers’ labor. The price premium received by farmers for the organic tea compensated for the extra labor input and lower yield, resulting in a net profit. However, given the relatively small plots of tea gardens of each household, organic production could not fully provide for the households’ livelihood. Non-farm income dominated the total income of the households across the study cases, despite the earnings from organic farming. In both sites, market-oriented organic tea projects have created more options for paid work locally, which benefits women of reproductive age. Social benefits of organic farming were also reported. Pursuing fair trade certification on top of organic production facilitated farmer organizing, training and community development. Organic agriculture and fair trade certification offer important prospects to improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers in other, less favored areas of Asia. These forms of certified production could provide economic and social benefits in instances where farm income is the main source of household income.

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Assessment of management practices, awareness on safe use of pesticides and perception on integrated management of pests and diseases of chilli and tomato grown by small‐scale farmers in selected districts of Sri Lanka

Pest Management Science ◽

10.1002/ps.6542 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Devika M. De Costa ◽

Janendra M. De Costa ◽

Manasee T. Weerathunga ◽

Kandeeparoopan Prasannath ◽

Virajinee N.D. Bulathsinhalage

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Management Practices ◽

Integrated Management ◽

Small Scale ◽

Pests And Diseases ◽

Small Scale Farmers

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A documentation of plants used by rural small-scale farmers to control maize pests in the eastern cape province of South Africa

African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development ◽

10.18697/ajfand.97.18520 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (02) ◽

pp. 17643-17655

Author(s):

NL Skenjana ◽

◽

AJ Afolayan ◽

◽

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Pest Control ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Alternative Methods ◽

Small Scale ◽

Control Methods ◽

Eastern Cape Province ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

Small Scale Farmers ◽

Pest Control Methods

Maize(Zea mays L.)small-scale farmers in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa are generally under-resourced, and as a result, their crops are vulnerable to pest attacks. The farmers often cannot afford farming implements and inputs, and tend to improvise with what is freely available in their surroundings. Regarding pests, farmers tend not to follow the conventional use of chemical insecticides and rather use alternative methods of control such as plant-based methods. Plant-based methods that are founded on formulations and plant combinations have been found to be eroding due to lack of documentation. This study sought to document the names of plants used in combinations and formulations and their preparation methods so that they can be further used to set a research agenda specific to affordable pest control methods for the Province. Surveys using the convenience and stratified purposive sampling techniques were conducted in selected rural areas of the Eastern Cape Province in order to investigate the plants, their combinations and formulations used by these farmers to control insect pests of maize. A total of 217 farmers were interviewed. Study protocols adhered to ethical standards set by the EasternCape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, whereas percentages were calculated using Microsoft Excel (2010). Findings revealed that most of the plants used were from familiesSolanaceaeandAsteraceae. The most preferred plant was Chenopodiumambrosioides, a perennial herb from the family Chenopodiceae. Although, several arthropods were mentioned by farmers as pests of maize in their cultivation areas, the predominant targets of formulations and combinations were maize stalk borers. These insects were also cited as most troublesome. The common plant part used in combinations and formulations was the leaves. Thefindingsraisedtheneed for continuous scientific validation and documentation of indigenous pest control methods to bridge the generational gap and increase the range of their use.

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Invasion of Paddy Combine Harvester (PCH) and Its Socioeconomic Impacts: A Study based on Ampara District, Sri Lanka

Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies ◽

10.36941/ajis-2020-0092 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 138

Author(s):

Seeni Mohamed Ayoob ◽

Mohamed Anifa Mohamed Fowsar

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Agricultural Sector ◽

Social Solidarity ◽

Sri Lankan ◽

Socioeconomic Impacts ◽

Human Power ◽

Short Period ◽

Combine Harvester ◽

Negative Impacts ◽

Paddy Cultivation

The term mechanisation of paddy agriculture denotes that mechanical power is used in agriculture instead of human and animal power, which is totally diminished today. Paddy agriculture plays an important role in the Sri Lankan economy where rice is the staple food of the country. Ampara district in Eastern Province of Sri Lanka contributes to the national food production by through paddy cultivation. In Ampara district, the tractor was used in paddy agriculture that required the need for human power previously. Nevertheless, the invasion of Paddy Combine Harvester (PCH) has demolished the tasks done by human power in the paddy agricultural sector now. Harvesting, threshing and cleaning were carried out in different stages of a long period with multiple groups of people by using human power in the past. Now it has changed, and Paddy combine Harvester (PCH) is used for all works of harvesting, threshing and cleaning within a short period at present. This study was conducted to emphasise the changes caused by the mechanisation in paddy agriculture and examine the changes among the Muslim society after the invasion of Paddy Combine Harvester (PCH) in the paddy agricultural sector. The decline in collective action and social solidarity among family members and society, loss of farming-related celebrations and ceremonies, the decline of the contribution of women in the agriculture and loss of job opportunities and income were found to be the negative impacts of the invasion of the paddy combine harvester. The decline in the disparities among landlords and peasants, changes in the food and dressing pattern, new employment opportunities and income generation, changes in the education sector, speedy harvesting in the rainy seasons and reduction in workload and less time consumption were found to be the positive impacts of the invasion of paddy combine harvester (PCH).

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Potential of microcredit as a source of finance for development of Sri Lankan biogas industry

Energy & Environment ◽

10.1177/0958305x17714173 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 28 (5-6) ◽

pp. 608-620 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Tomáš Hes ◽

Samuel Mintah ◽

Haiyan Sulaiman ◽

Tuan Arifeen ◽

Petr Drbohlav ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Annual Cost ◽

Service Providers ◽

Small Scale ◽

Sri Lankan ◽

Microfinance Institutions ◽

Economic Justification ◽

Biogas Plants ◽

Contractual Agreement ◽

National Technology

The study serves to clarify doubts on the potential of commercial microcredit as a strategic vehicle of implementing of small-scale biogas plants in Sri Lanka, as an alternative to subsidy-based process. The quantified sum of unsubsidized microloan interest born by the biogas users in a modeled situation of maximum potential of the biogas sector financed through microfinance institutions is compared with national technology savings on a macro level. The analysis concludes that an economic justification for the microfinance-fuelled implementation of small-scale biodigesters employing a market-based approach does exist. Annual savings on macroeconomic level surpass the annual cost expressed as a sum of unsubsidized interest. The study furthermore proposes a three-party credit contract, which prevents credit defaults caused by the lack of customary after-sales care by integrating the provision of service providers into a contractual agreement with both the user and the financing source, thus assuming part of credit responsibility.

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Forest cover change in Sri Lanka: The role of small scale farmers

Applied Geography ◽

10.1016/j.apgeog.2012.04.011 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 34 ◽

pp. 680-692 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Sara Lindström ◽

Eskil Mattsson ◽

S.P. Nissanka

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Forest Cover ◽

Small Scale ◽

Forest Cover Change ◽

Small Scale Farmers

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High bycatch rates of manta and devil rays in the “small-scale” artisanal fisheries of Sri Lanka

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.11994 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. e11994

Author(s):

Daniel Fernando ◽

Joshua D. Stewart

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

Total Mortality ◽

Life History Strategies ◽

Small Scale ◽

Artisanal Fisheries ◽

Sri Lankan ◽

Management Actions ◽

Body Sizes ◽

Catch Rates

Background Expanding fisheries in developing nations like Sri Lanka have a significant impact on threatened marine species such as elasmobranchs. Manta and devil (mobulid) rays have some of the most conservative life history strategies of any elasmobranch, and even low to moderate levels of bycatch from gillnet fisheries may lead to significant population declines. A lack of information on life history, demographics, population trends, and fisheries impacts hinders effective management measures for these species. Method We report on mobulid fishery landings over nine years between 2011 and 2020 across 38 landing sites in Sri Lanka. We collected data on catch numbers, body sizes, sex, and maturity status for five mobulid species. We used a Bayesian state-space model to estimate monthly country-wide catch rates and total annual landings of mobulid rays. We used catch curve analyses to estimate total mortality for Mobula mobular, and evaluated trends in recorded body sizes across the study period for M. mobular, M. birostris, M. tarapacana and M. thurstoni. Results We find that catch rates have declined an order of magnitude for all species across the study period, and that total annual captures of mobulid rays by the Sri Lankan artisanal fishing fleet exceed the estimated annual captures of mobulids in all global, industrial purse seine fisheries combined. Catch curve analyses suggest that M. mobular is being fished at rates far above the species’ intrinsic population growth rate, and the average sizes of all mobulids in the fishery except for M. birostris are declining. Collectively, these findings suggest overfishing of mobulid ray populations in the northern Indian Ocean by Sri Lankan artisanal fisheries. We recommend strengthening the management of these species through improved implementation of CITES, CMS, and regional fisheries management actions. In addition, we report on the demographic characteristics of mobulids landed in Sri Lanka and provide the first record of M. eregoodoo in the country.

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The Role of Music and Allied Arts in Public Writings on Cultural Diversity: “People of Sri Lanka”

ASIAN-EUROPEAN MUSIC RESEARCH JOURNAL ◽

10.30819/aemr.6-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. 93-100

Author(s):

Gisa Jähnichen

Keyword(s):

Sri Lanka ◽

Cultural Diversity ◽

South Asia ◽

Case Studies ◽

Sri Lankan ◽

Culturally Different ◽

The World ◽

Official Languages ◽

The Way

The Sri Lankan Ministry of National Coexistence, Dialogue, and Official Languages published the work “People of Sri Lanka” in 2017. In this comprehensive publication, 21 invited Sri Lankan scholars introduced 19 different people’s groups to public readers in English, mainly targeted at a growing number of foreign visitors in need of understanding the cultural diversity Sri Lanka has to offer. This paper will observe the presentation of these different groups of people, the role music and allied arts play in this context. Considering the non-scholarly design of the publication, a discussion of the role of music and allied arts has to be supplemented through additional analyses based on sources mentioned by the 21 participating scholars and their fragmented application of available knowledge. In result, this paper might help improve the way facts about groups of people, the way of grouping people, and the way of presenting these groupings are displayed to the world beyond South Asia. This fieldwork and literature guided investigation should also lead to suggestions for ethical principles in teaching and presenting of culturally different music practices within Sri Lanka, thus adding an example for other case studies.

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Researching Alternative Cash Crops for Small Scale Farmers in Southern Ohio

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.33.3.530a ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 530a-530

Author(s):

Brad Bergefurd ◽

Gary Gao

Keyword(s):

Applied Research ◽

Small Scale ◽

Extension Agents ◽

Research Projects ◽

Cash Crops ◽

Grant Program ◽

Culinary Herbs ◽

Small Scale Farmers

Speciality crops are great alternative cash crops for small scale farmers. Small scale farmers are constantly searching for viable economic crops to grow. We have been conducting applied research on the production and marketing of culinary herbs, oriental vegetables, colored peppers, and muskmelons to name a few. These crops show excellent potential for southern Ohio. Field demonstration, seminars, and surveys were used to gather and disseminate information on these speciality crops. More than 230 people attended our seminars on alternative cash crops. More than 150 people attended our field days. In addition, we had identified many chefs that are willing to purchase from local speciality crop growers. It will be a win-win situation for both chefs and growers. Growers will be able to maximize their profitability while chefs will receive fresh and unique produce. As a result of our research, we were able to show small scale growers what they can grow successfully and how they can market their crops for most profit. These applied research projects received a combined funding of $10000.00 from OSU Extension-Innovative Grant program. These projects are a great way to establish credibility among clients. We would also like to demonstrate how other extension agents can help their clients. A lecture utilizing slides and overhead transparencies will be the format of the seminar.

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