Posted on 07/10/2022 8:09:33 AM PDT by Rebelbase
A nationwide experiment is abandoned after producing only misery.
Faced with a deepening economic and humanitarian crisis, Sri Lanka called off an ill-conceived national experiment in organic agriculture this winter. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa promised in his 2019 election campaign to transition the country’s farmers to organic agriculture over a period of 10 years. Last April (2021), Rajapaksa’s government made good on that promise, imposing a nationwide ban on the importation and use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and ordering the country’s 2 million farmers to go organic.
The result was brutal and swift. Against claims that organic methods can produce comparable yields to conventional farming, domestic rice production fell 20 percent in just the first six months. Sri Lanka, long self-sufficient in rice production, has been forced to import $450 million worth of rice even as domestic prices for this staple of the national diet surged by around 50 percent. The ban also devastated the nation’s tea crop, its primary export and source of foreign exchange.
By November 2021, with tea production falling, the government partially lifted its fertilizer ban on key export crops, including tea, rubber, and coconut. Faced with angry protests, soaring inflation, and the collapse of Sri Lanka’s currency, the government finally suspended the policy for several key crops—including tea, rubber, and coconut—last month, although it continues for some others. The government is also offering $200 million to farmers as direct compensation and an additional $149 million in price subsidies to rice farmers who incurred losses.
(Excerpt) Read more at foreignpolicy.com ...
Found this article on a Twit post which reads:
"Sri Lanka implemented a NATIONWIDE ban on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in 2019 as part of the government's investment pitch to the Davos international elite of Sri Lanka as a "hip new green nation."
"Now, predictably, the island is starving."
https://twitter.com/EsotericCD/status/1545757324056444929
In May, 2022 a Biden Admin official is on record pushing for a move away from synthetic fertilizers and transitioning to organics.
"USAID Chief says food shortage crisis will 'hasten transition' to green energy Biden official Samantha Power told ABC's George Stephanopoulos that fertilizer shortages would push farmers to more green, "natural" solutions like manure and compost."
I foresee a similar outcome in the US if the “Green Energy” foolishness is not eliminated.
A normal person would try an experiment like this on a smaller scale before trying it across the whole country.
But dude had balls, he went all in.
I wonder if he still has his balls? Probably won’t for long.
For US agriculture, there’s not enough manure out there. Also, manure doesn’t have the right balance of N-P-K.
I am not against organic farming, solar power or any other “green” initiative. I am against totalitarian governments telling folks you have to do something.
Governments are stunningly wrong on most issues.
Most of our problems today are caused by government. Government did some good things under Trump....getting out of the way.
“Synthetic” fertilizers? Like mineral-based? Are minerals synthetic?
The people were just not pooping enough so they are to blame.
Per above comment on NPK urine has a better ratio.
It has been posted but good to remind.
We (US) are still complaining with our mouthful.
Not only is our food supply subject to man’s bad management, there is God and the weather to consider.
At one time we thought it was important to have a 3 years supply of grain on hand. Now if we don’t use the last bushel of old crop the day before the new crop comes in we messed up.
The crop insurance people had better lobbyists than the grain bin people. What would you rather have? 3 years of grain or an insurance policy that pays for a bad crop?
Probably feared the peasants having access to large amounts of ammonium nitrate.
Too bad the insects didn’t join this green initiative.
It is even more important since the current team in charge of the country are all in for the green initiative, and people need to look to Sri Lanka as small example of what would happen.
Anything that makes economic sense does not have to be mandated or subsidized by the government. Once a government coerces such activities, they are doomed to fail and cause economic, social and political disorder.
I'm saying for most poor people in the world, low cost food is a necessity. That being said, organic and non MIA should be encouraged to grow and expand in the developed world. It may even be encouraged to earn export income in the non-developed world because (among many other reasons) biodiversity is necessary for the long term health of the planet.
But it is stupid to put all your eggs into one basket as the Sri Lankan example here has shown.
Greenies are a threat to humanity.
Exactly....
By my choice not government direction or having to rely on big corporate products we’ve farmed organically, successfully and profitably for many years.
Grow what your community wants.
It can take years to get your soil, insect and weed control in shape
But when you catch your stride it’s a great way to farm though not for everyone.
The result was brutal and swift. Against claims that organic methods can produce comparable yields to conventional farming, domestic rice production fell 20 percent in just the first six months.
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It’s cold comfort that libtardism is a worldwide problem and not just a U.S. problem.
We’ve done organic farming for most of human history until the 20thc. Modern farming methods enables us to feed the world.
“ I am not against organic farming, solar power or any other “green” initiative.”
With the exceptions of rooftop solar and other similar things in cities, the solar farms and windmills spreading everywhere across the west like cancer fueled by “free” government money is an unforgivable sin. They think they are clever hiding solar farms where they can’t be seen from highways (where they can anyways like northern nevada) but areas where they can’t hide them like southern california are quickly becoming endless seas of black. Reno is already surrounded by seas of black though much of it hidden from the highways and its creeping further and further into our once pristine desert
I think all of our sewage goes to making Democrat politicians.
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