The policies that give immediate benefits to the people are more popular in democracies as the leaders and their political parties have to face elections from time to time.
At the same time leaders have to show statesmanship and take some harsh decisions in the long term interest of the country and its people.
Those decisions may not be popular with the masses who look for short term benefits from an elected government.
Usher
Implementing an electoral promise given in the manifesto, ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa took a tough decision to suspend the import of chemical fertiliser and usher in a 100 percent organic agriculture system.
As envisaged, the initial response from some quarters was terrifying at a glance. The opposition also immediately jumped into the wagon to score brownie points without giving any consideration to long term benefits to the country and the people.
However, before long the realisation has dawned in most of the people who are aware of the benefits of the move to the environment, natural fertility of out rich soil and the positive impact on the health of the people, especially the farmers who work in the chemical-ridden, muddy paddy fields.
Those who tried to ridicule and laugh at the decision to ban chemical fertiliser imports will gradually understand the rationale of the decision when it is praised by experts in Sri Lanka and abroad.
Last week, the first international appreciation came when Ambassadors and High Commissioners from several Western countries openly praised President Rajapaksa for his bold move and offered their support for its implementation.
Then, Germany-based Biodynamic Federation Demeter International, which represents the biodynamic farming movement with 45 member organisations in 36 countries including Asia, has commended President Rajapaksa for his thrust for 100 percent organic agriculture.
Letter
Biodynamic’s General Secretary Christoph Simpfendorfer in a letter to the President has expressed the Federation’s deepest congratulations for the creation of a green socio-economy with sustainable solutions for climate changes in Sri Lanka and has extended its utmost support.
The letter stated that with the pending climate crisis, strong political decisions are needed, and the task force paves the way forward in the transition towards more sustainability.
“We particularly support the transition from chemical farming to natural farming by using organic fertiliser and products instead of pesticides, chemical fertilisers, and herbicides that harm our environment,” Simpfendorfer said.
According to its General Secretary, the Covid-19 crisis showed how important it is for agricultural systems not to depend on external inputs. The perspective of circular economy is here particularly important when it comes to farming.
“Organic and biodynamic farming increases the resilience of farming, not only by making agriculture more sustainable but also by fostering its economic resilience and viability,” he added.
German Ambassador Holger Seubert offered his country’s support to Sri Lanka in organic farming is far from new, said his country stands ready to intensify such cooperation with its vast expertise in this field.
He added that the transition from inorganic farming to organic agriculture could bring a number of advantages for farmers, national economy and environment if it were planned well and thoroughly managed.
Federation
While some groups with vested interests organised poorly-attended farmer protests in some areas, the biggest federation of farmer organisations came forward to support the President’s move on organic agriculture. District farmers’ representatives on behalf of 1.1 million farmers across the country, have urged President Rajapaksa not to reverse the steps taken to use organic fertiliser.
District farmers representatives of the Sri Lanka National Farmers’ Organisation said that it was their absolute duty and responsibility to return to the traditional farming methods and provide the people with a non-toxic healthy diet.
They added that the people will be grateful to the President for his decision to nourish a healthy next generation for Sri Lanka.
The farmers’ representatives assured President Rajapaksa that all the farmers in the country would support the President in overcoming the challenge of going for an agriculture based on organic fertiliser, as a team, for the benefit of all people in Sri Lanka just like the country once faced the challenge of concluding the war against terrorism.
This Organisation comprises 1.1 million farmers, 17,000 farmers organisations and 563 Agrarian Service Centres.
Speaking to farmer representatives, the President said that the use of organic fertiliser, which is a new trend in the entire world, would take the country on a new path of agrarian economy.
The Policy of the present Government is to uplift the agricultural sector. The increase in the purchase price of paddy from Rs.30 to Rs. 50 per kilo is a step taken to encourage farmers.
Later, farmers were able to sell their paddy at between Rs.65 and Rs. 68 per kilogram. The government intervened to control the price of rice to protect consumers.
The President said that the Government will create an environment where the farmers will be able to receive Rs. 80,000 million spent annually on the importation of chemical fertiliser, while protecting the future generations from Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
Many European countries are already assisting organic farming in Sri Lanka. The German Ambassador said there is a project jointly implemented by the German Chamber (AHK Sri Lanka) and the German Technical Cooperation (GIZ) to increase exports of organic products to Europe. “The project supports farmers in Colombo and Kandy as well as in less developed areas such as Jaffna, Dambulla and Trincomalee,” he said.
Assets
The Biodynamic Federation Demeter said the multiplication of the Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) shows the development and the positive assets of organic farming worldwide.
Recently, a PGS was even launched in the Philippines as part of its national organic regulations. “Therefore, the Federation can only encourage you to pursue this transition and emphasise the positive role organic and biodynamic farming play,” the Federation’s letter to President Rajapaksa stated.
It said Biodynamic farming specifically has the capacity to strengthen the relationship between people and nature. Its focus and aim is to enrich nature, support biodiversity and increase soil fertility, providing additional benefits alongside the production of quality food.