Why did Sri Lanka’s organic farming dream fail? [audio]

From the programme description:

> In 2021 the president of Sri Lanka announced a total ban on chemical fertilizer and pesticides. The country’s farms were going to go fully organic.

> Sri Lanka is now in the worse economic crisis they have seen in decades and the government has reversed its ban on chemical fertilizer."

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Some key points from the programme:

- Farming and related industries are vital to Sri Lanka's economy - 25% are employed in the agricultural industry.

- Rice is the main staple. Before the current food crisis, Sri Lanka was self-sufficient in production: 10kg of rice per person every month.

- Sri Lanka is also self-sufficient in vegetables, tropical fruits, coconut meat, eggs. Important exports include: tea, coconut, spices. Imports include: sugar, milk and wheat.

- Chemical fertilisers are imported and subsidised by the government helping farmers produce high-yield crops.

- The plan to switch to organic in 2021 was poorly planned. Synthetic fertilisers were banned and there was insufficient organic fertiliser to make up the shortfall.

- The suddenly switch to organic farming required more land to match the food yields achieved with synthetic fertilisers. But more farming land is not available.

- The premium-price of organic food suggests strong demand, but the reality is that organic food globally occupies a tiny minority of food products. The demand for organic produce has been overstated.

- Sri Lanka is now importing staples like rice. Food prices have risen and rice consumption has fallen.

- Reducing synthetic fertilisers rather than banning outright could have been a more realistic option - providing a gradual switch to some more organic output.