I was warned prior to the encounter, but it still proved to be disconcerting. Sashi (name changed) was so slightly built, at 23 years old resembled a six year old. She was also quiet. We had a language barrier, she spoke only Tamil. There also wasn’t much she would say. What’s she doing? Nothing. What does she want to do in the future? Nothing. Does she plan to study? No. Or work? No. Why not? Cannot travel. She knew only one thing: that she continues to be defined by her disability. She is a burden for her poor family. My guide friend mentions that she has attempted suicide thrice in the last five years.
Sashi is not alone. In the estate village near Koslanda where she lives, disabilities are so common that a local journalist has called it ‘The Land of Lilliputians’ (one can still find this story online). The reasons for these deformities are not certain. The fact that they appear in unrelated families, hints at an environmental reason. Could it be, as the villagers firmly believe, the impact of synthetic fertilizers used in surrounding tea plantations for centuries?
It’s similar to the story in North Central province. A section of researchers believe the widespread Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in the region is a result of chemicals seeping in to the drinking water supply through synthetic fertilizers and pesticides use in the area. Most patients with CKDu, they have found, do not have the commonly known risk factors for kidney disease such as diabetes and hypertension. The observed geographical distribution of the disease and associated socioeconomic characteristics, they further observe, are suggestive of an environmental and occupational etiology. Based on a cross sectional study, the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health finds a triple threat to the kidneys: Low levels of Cadmium through the food chain coupled with deficiency of Selenium and concurrent exposure to Arsenic and pesticides.
This evidence is still inconclusive. To build a solid correlation between the cause and effect it takes years and thousands of research hours. Besides this the environmental damage caused by synthetic fertilizers and pesticides is an established fact. There is little or no argument that we would be better off if we are able to reduce their consumption. If you need convincing, do watch the recently released Netflix documentary ‘Kiss the Ground’ (2020), which illustrates with examples how soil is ‘damaged’ by chemicals. To overcome this ‘damage’ the proposed solution is ‘regenerative agriculture’ – a technique characterized by a philosophy of agricultural production and a set of adaptable techniques strongly influenced by permaculture. Its main goals are to regenerate soil, increase biodiversity, soil atmospheric carbon sequestration, soil resilience to climate fluctuations, optimize the water cycle and improve the provision of ecosystem services. It is spectacular to see deserts become lush again with this agricultural technique. If nothing is done, says the documentary, in 60 years, all soil will have become infertile and lead to billions of people having to migrate as a consequence of global warming.
All this is evidenced by sound research. No doubt, we must change our ways. However, that still cannot mean we can achieve environmentally friendly, sustainable agriculture overnight. The issue is far more complex.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka released its 2020 Annual Report in April where one of the sections addresses food security. This is what the Central Bank has to say: Based on data prior to the pandemic, Sri Lanka was ranked 66th among 113 countries in the Global Food Security Index -2019, which considers the dimensions of food availability, affordability, quality, and safety of foods. Meanwhile, child malnutrition has been a longstanding issue in Sri Lanka. According to the Demographic and Health Survey 2016 by the Department of Census and Statistics, among children aged 5 years or below stunting (17.3%), wasting (15.1%) and underweight (20.5%) were prevalent. The unprecedented measures including lockdowns to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic globally and in Sri Lanka disrupted economic activity, impacting supply chains and livelihoods of people, and thereby food security, despite measures to ensure uninterrupted food production and distribution. The experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic emphasize the importance of ensuring food security to the public during such unprecedented economic shocks, and the possibility of the aggravation of existing food insecurity issues in the country if not addressed appropriately.
Experimenting with limiting or eliminating fertilizer and pesticide use in the middle of a serious food security crisis may not be a sound approach. It’s akin to meddling with an aircraft engine problem mid-air. The engine must be repaired, no doubt, but would it not make more sense to first land the aircraft safely? Synthetic fertilizer dependency of our agriculture has been historically high, it’s not a recent phenomenon. We have depended on them for higher yields (see chart 1). That use cannot possibly be converted to organic variety overnight without seriously compromising the yield.
Organic fertilizer isn’t without its own issues. Costs of organic fertilizer are generally higher. Synthetic fertilizers contain concentrated levels of nutrients per kilogram of product compared to organic types. More organic fertilizer, by quantity, will be required to provide the same nutrient levels to the soil. This cost difference is reflected in the retail price of organic and non-organic products. (The other key reason being a lower biological yield, on average.) While it is possible to make one’s own organic fertilizer, once labor, time, and other resources are taken into account even homemade organic fertilizer is usually more expensive than store-bought chemical fertilizer. Microorganisms are necessary to nourish the soil well, since they need heat and humidity. Ability of organic fertilizers to do so is limited. During colder months, organic fertilizers may not be so effective. Another disadvantage could be the rate of fertilization with organic fertilizer. Farmers will be disheartened when their crops take longer to yield.
Unlike organic fertilizers, synthetic fertilizers are designed to quickly deliver nutrients to plants; therefore, they grow faster. They also have a high total NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium – the three key ingredients of any fertilizer) of 20 to 60% or more. The total NPK for organic fertilizer blends is lower; around 15% at most. Then it is important to balance the NPK ratios, as – like the weakest link in a chain – the lowest determine the effectiveness. The balance is done normally in case of synthetic fertilizers. One may argue that it can be scientifically done in the case of organic fertilizers too. Possibly so, but the challenge is to scale the whole purpose. We certainly do not need ‘artificially synthesized organic fertilizers’. Tea Production saw a decline of 7.1 % in 2020 due to adverse weather conditions and labour supply disruptions due to Covid -19. The supply of coconut and coconut products too contracted (9.5% drop). Overall, agriculture activities recorded a contraction of 2.4 % in 2020 in value added terms, compared to one percent growth in 2019. Fishing, forestry and logging, and animal production too declined in 2020. These are the observations of the Central Bank. Do we want 2021 to be the year of recovery or the year of further decline? This will be decided by how intelligently we adapt to planet-friendly agriculture; not how fast.
No doubt, we must change our ways. However, that still cannot mean we can achieve environmentally friendly, sustainable agriculture overnight