June, 27, 2022
It is not clear if Angulimala’s family owned a pastry shop or a catering service but it is known that a high level saffron involvement got him pardoned. One may also come up with “right to life” claims related to the Angulimala case but in SL at present food security is most important as it ensures the “right to life”. While some are talking about tasty issues, Mr. Dudley Sirisena’s approach to feed his fellow countrymen should be commended as the masses are struggling for survival. Banning chemical fertilizer in April 2021 is believed to be the big reason for the shortages in SL and some are confused with freedom fighter “Puran Appu” and a “Kumburu Puran Appu”. SL Premier referring to the food shortage ensured that SL government would collect sufficient fertilizer for the next season while battling the economic crisis. It was also noted about US sources which predicted Afghanistan and SL to be worst hit in the global food shortages. When USA left Afghanistan after 20 years of occupation in 2021, China’s Belt and Road was able to deliver much needed fertilizer for the Afghan masses to ensure food security and supplies. China which helped SL fight famine in 1952 through the Rubber Rice Pact is again helping SL to fight famine through donations of rice in the present crisis.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also was very concerned of the growing global food shortage. He identified Ukraine conflict, COVID and climate change as the main causes for the "global hunger crisis". The SG has indicated that the UN is negotiating ways to allow Ukraine to send their produce to the world to address this global issue. UN must work closely with China during these negotiations as China never encouraged the conflict and China is constantly developing agricultural research fighting a lone battle to feed its population of approx 1.5 billion mouths every day.
Developments in China and lessons for SL
Chinese agronomists have tested salt-tolerant ‘seawater rice’ strains which can produce high yields to keep its mammoth population fed. They have even extended their research to test the hybrid rice in the deserts in Dubai, UAE. This is a good opportunity for the UN and a lesson for countries such as SL. China’s efforts to be self sufficient and resilient is a good lesson for all those who are uncertain about the future. In the 2021 Global food security index China is the 34th among 113 countries. It is an indicator which shows a country’s status on; availability of food, quality and safety of food, the natural resources available and the resilience strength. China has been conducting effective civic education programs on reducing food waste and is constantly increasing lands dedicated for cultivating crops. By 2020 the total arable land in China was approx 1.3 million SQKM. It is approx the size of Egypt. Researchers have found that growing hybrid seawater rice covering 10% of that would help China keep 200 million people out of hunger (Chinese sources). SL can learn from such scientific developments. It is not new to SL as history indicates that even “Muthurajawela” was once a mega rice cultivation initiative.
(The writer is an Academic and a Broadcaster. Views expressed are personal and may not necessarily be the views of his affiliations.)
Photo caption : Chinese agronomist Yuan Longping successfully grew rice in the deserts of Dubai, UAE
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