- Agronomist Dilush K. Rathnapriya on the utilisation of space for cultivation
Food security is a topic being discussed widely today, as the entire world, and not just Sri Lanka, faces major issues with access to food. In a joint statement issued by the Heads of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, World Food Programme, and World Trade Organisation, it is stated that the number of acute food-insecure people increased to 345 million in 82 countries last month.
“Making matters worse, around 25 countries have reacted to higher food prices by adopting export restrictions affecting over 8% of global food trade. In addition, complicating the food supply response is the doubling of fertiliser prices over the last 12 months, reflecting record-high costs of inputs such as natural gas,” the statement reads. It doesn’t help that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is still felt by governments and stakeholders across the globe.
According to the FAO, as many as 828 million people are facing hunger in the world, which is 39 times the population of Sri Lanka. There are 200,000 severely food insecure people in Sri Lanka who may not eat today, the FAO states.
While it is the Sri Lankan Government’s responsibility to ensure its people do not go hungry, rising prices and lack of access to food, among other factors, have made many turn to alternatives, since food is a basic need that people cannot do without while waiting for the authorities to implement the right measures.
One such solution is home gardening, and many in Sri Lanka have started growing more vegetables and fruits in their gardens. However, a question can be raised regarding how effective a solution this will prove to be in the country.
In order to better understand the situation, Brunch reached out to Dilush K. Rathnapriya, an agriculture graduate from the Open University of Sri Lanka. He has over eight years of experience in the field of organic cultivation and organic fertiliser production.
Rathnapriya explained that he has worked at a prominent organic produce export company in Sri Lanka, as well as the largest certified organic farm of 98 acres. He is currently engaged in the field of consultation as an agronomist and as Director (Technical) in one of the largest organic fertiliser manufacturing companies in Sri Lanka.
“We used to grow a vast variety of vegetables and fruits that were in demand in both local and export markets, combining novel agriculture techniques and traditional folk knowledge. We are going forward with the correct cultivation techniques and plant nutrient management systems along with crop protection from industrial cultivation to domestic cultivation,” he added.
Home gardening in Sri Lanka
As mentioned, home gardening is being spoken about widely in Sri Lanka. We asked Rathnapriya how it will help individuals during current food shortages and inflation as well as the global food crisis we have been warned about.
“It first became popular among citizens during the Covid-19 pandemic period when the country was under lockdown and there were travel restrictions. Due to this, the supply chain was interrupted and there were shortages. People feared a bigger shortage in the future too,” he said, explaining that enthusiasm grew among people to utilise their spaces for home gardening.
However, with time, people lost interest, as they had to go back to their old routines and the supply chain interruptions were addressed.
“Now, with the prevailing economic crisis, the supply chain is getting interrupted again. Inflation is rising, and citizens have to pay much more for food than earlier,” Rathnapriya said. He explained: “For these reasons, the home gardening concept is becoming popular again. Indeed, it is a good move as far as food security and food safety are concerned. With correct guidance on how to grow and maintain, and how harvest management is carried out in vegetable and fruit crops, people would definitely make this successful.”
He did acknowledge that cultivable space is a pinch in urban areas when compared to villages, meaning that minimal crop varieties can be grown in these spaces. “This issue can be overcome by implementing a barter system amongst neighbours by exchanging the vegetables or fruit you have with your neighbour. It is a good option to consider implementing in apartments for residents who have only a balcony, or very limited gardening space,” Rathnapriya suggested, adding that more than an individual effort, this would require neighbourhood support as well, bringing better results and a sustainable system.
“This will also help you to have a variety of foods in close proximity,” he added.
Dormancy
Despite vegetables and fruits being a massive component of our diet, many of us can admit to not utilising our garden space for the growth of useful plants. Rathnapriya says that rather than there being a delay in implementing such programmes, especially at a household level, the more suitable word would be dormancy.
“I think the most suitable word is dormant rather than delay, because as I mentioned earlier, people actually started this years ago but didn’t get to continue it for whatever reason,” he said, giving reasons like a lack of time and frustration caused by not-that-successful crops due to a lack of knowledge on cultivation practices.
People now have to find time for gardening and there are many resources on the internet that enable awareness on how the plants should be taken care of. These resources can be accessed on platforms like YouTube and Facebook, as well as through mobile apps and e-books.
Rathnapriya explained that those with a busy lifestyle can make a half-hour commitment in the morning and evening, as this would be sufficient to treat the plants. This can be encouraged or facilitated by making the garden a hangout spot.
Efficient use of space
It can be said that gardens are often underutilised in Sri Lanka, with aesthetics given prominence. We asked Rathnapriya how people can make efficient use of the space available to them to grow their own produce. His response was that in many gardens, priority is given to grass turf and ornamental plants, as well as paving with interlock blocks.
“You can easily convert your turf into small farmland and implement edible landscaping principles by saying goodbye to ornamental floral and leafy plants, and still beautify your garden while making it a food forest, where food grows on every inch,” Rathnapriya shared.
In addition to this, he suggested vertical gardens, to make better use of space. This does not require complex, expensive structures, however. “Hanging pots are another way of utilising space at a maximum level where ground space is limited for gardening,” he said, adding: “I have seen that in many multi-storied houses, the rooftop and balconies are left for dust and dirt accumulation. We can easily make use of such places for cultivation with the techniques discussed above.”
He went on to say: “But it is important to use necessary treatments to waterproof the floors to avoid damage due to water accumulation, as farming requires keeping moisture in planting beds, pots, etc.”