Traditional Agriculture Part 2 - Present Utilization

Traditional Agriculture and its Present Utilization

Introduction

(a)Agriculture in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is and has always been a self-sufficient country based on agriculture. Sri Lanka boasts of a rich history of over 2500 years which when closely scrutinized seems to be based mainly on agriculture. Paddy cultivation is the main form of agriculture within the nation and is done in two seasons, namely the Yala and Maha ‘kannas’ or “seasons”. Tea, which is one of the main sources of income for Sri Lanka is also cultivated in the central hills of Sri Lanka. In addition to paddy and tea, many other fruits and vegetables are also cultivated within the island nation.

(b)The Present State of Agriculture in Sri Lanka

(i)Rice Cultivation in Sri Lanka

34 percent (0.77 /million ha) of the total cultivated area in Sri Lanka is accredited to paddy cultivation and approximately 560,000 ha and 310,000 ha are cultivated during Maha and Yala seasons. This leads to about 870,000 ha of cultivated paddy each year. Nearly 1.8 million families are engaged in paddy cultivation throughout the island and they manage to produce approximately 2.7 million tons of rough rice annually, which amounts to about 92% of the requirement of the nation. Rice is a main form of nutrition for a majority of Sri Lankans who depend on it daily, to satisfy their caloric needs.

It is estimated that the demand for rice will grow at a rate of about 1.3% per year and the rate of production of rice will have to increase by about 2.9% to meet this demand. Increasing the national produce average and boosting the rate of cultivation are among some of the main ways to achieve this target.

Producing a kilo of rough rice costs about 9 rupees per kilogram of which include the cost of labour, the costs of tradable inputs and the costs of farm power. The cost of labour has increased exponentially with respect to all the other costs over the past decade.

The global demand for rice will increase by about 1.95% every year. But the rate of production is estimated to increase by only 1.62% per annum. This will cause the price of rice to decline at 0.73% per year. The domestic price of rice is higher by about 50 to 70 US dollars than the cheapest form of A1 quality rice in the world market. This situation will place Sri Lanka under added pressure to produce high quality rice at a cheaper price.

(ii)Tea Plantation in Sri Lanka

Tea was planted in Sri Lanka as an experimental crop in an attempt to recover from the losses incurred by the downfall of the Coffee industry within the island nation due to fungal infections that spread throughout the coffee plantations and the dropping prices of coffee by the first half of the 18th century. Many research groups were sent to Assam to identify and study the necessary conditions for the new crop. In the meantime, James Taylor, a British planter who arrived in Lool Kandura by 1852 introduced the tea industry to the country in 1867. The tea industry accounts for 2% of GDP of Sri Lanka and is a main source of income for the country, yielding approximately $700 million annually to the economy of Sri Lanka. About 1 million of the population of Sri Lanka find employment in the tea industry. Sri Lanka is the fourth largest producer of tea. By 1995 Sri Lanka exported nearly 23% of the total demand for tea and became the leading exporter for tea. But it has since been surpassed by Kenya.

The country's central highlands provide a climate that favors the production of high quality tea with cool temperatures suitable humidity and appropriate rainfall.

Tea is mainly grown in areas such as Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Bandarawela, Haputhale, Galle, Matara, Ratnapura and Kegalle.

(iii)Fruits Vegetables and Chena cultivation

Many varieties of different fruits and vegetables are cultivated in various parts of the country. The cool climate in the central regions of Sri Lanka is suitable for the cultivation of many crops like carrot, leeks, beetroot, cauliflower, salad leaves etc. Chili, red onions, pumpkin, bitter gourd, papaya and mango are some of the vegetables and crops cultivated in the low country areas of Sri Lanka.

Many other indigenous yams like ‘innala’ and ‘kiriala’ and underwater stems ‘kohila’ and ‘nelum ala’ are also exported from Sri Lanka

Approximately eight hundred thousand tons of vegetables and fruits are produced in Sri Lanka of which some are exported to many countries in the Middle East and Europe.

Currently Sri Lanka is looking to obtain arid climate resistant fruit species from Egypt to develop agriculture in the dry zones of Sri Lanka.

Areas with a warm climate such as Monaragala, Kurunegala, Jaffna and Ratnapura have been useful in the cultivation of oilseed crops like groundnuts, peanuts, and mustard.

Traditional Agriculture And How it has changed in Present times

Agriculture has been a main part of the history of Sri Lanka which spans for more than 2500 years. Throughout history we can see that the cultivation of paddy was not just a livelihood for the people in Sri Lanka but also impacted the society, culture and religious observances of Sri Lanka. The connection between early Sri Lankans and the environment is seen in the sustainable agricultural practices that were implemented in the past. It also showcased our ability to survive and prosper congenially, alongside nature without destroying it.

(a) The Paddy Field (Kumbura)

The plot of land on which a farmer cultivates his crop is known as the ‘Kumbura ’ or ‘Ketha’. The cultivation of paddy is given immense importance due to the fact that rice is the staple food of Sri Lanka. The ancient farmers of Sri Lanka were self-sufficient and Sri Lanka had been one of the biggest exporters of paddy and was once called the ‘the great granary of the East’. The Sri Lankan kings were supportive towards agriculture and were instrumental in the construction of large scale irrigation tanks for the supply of necessary water to the paddy fields. Natural methods were used for paddy cultivation and no harm was done to the surrounding environment.

(i) See Sama (Ploughing)

‘See Sama’ is the process of using a ‘Nagula’(plough) and oxen to plough the land to prepare it for cultivation. In ancient times, ploughing was done decorously in a festival called the ‘Vapmagula’. Once ploughing is completed, the farmers would sow the seeds (plant the saplings of paddy on the ground).

 

The methods used today are vastly different to those of which were used in the past. Tractors have replaced the bulls in the process of ploughing and it has now been highly mechanized.

(ii) Enriching Soil

Chemicals were not used in Ancient times and traditional farmers used manure and other natural organic fertilizers to nourish the soil which they cultivated. These natural fertilizers helped increase the activity of microbes in soil and thereby helped directly in the produce of large yields.

Nowadays, local farmers use many chemicals with an expectancy of producing a large harvest, and the traditional methods have been long forgotten

(iii) Kurulu Paluwa

A separate section of the paddy field was left for the birds and the birds were accustomed to eating from that area that they did not enter the areas which the farmer was expecting to get a harvest from.

This method was practiced and proven very effective in keeping the crops safe from birds for over a thousand years. Farmers took advantage of the presence of birds to keep their crops free of the paddy bug.

Some of the farmers in present times also use this method, but the usage of this method has decreased when taken as a whole, due to the usage of pesticides.

(iv) Weeding

Weeding the paddy field was mostly done by the women. They sang indigenous songs called ‘Nelum Kavi’ to rid themselves of the boredom which they experienced during the process of weeding. Weeding a ‘kumburuyaya’ would generally take a fortnight.

Farmers tend to use chemicals to weed their paddy fields at present times. Different types of chemicals which often end up harming the soil are used by the farmers, and most of them use these chemicals without the fore knowledge that these chemicals would harm their fields.

(v)Safeguarding the Kumbura

Sticks which fall from trees were used to make a fence around the ‘Kumbura’ to safeguard it from wild animals. This fence was known as a ‘Danduwata’. A scarecrow (‘Pambaya’) was placed in the middle of the field and a bell type object called a ‘Takaya’ was used to scare away birds and other tiny animals. The farmers would keep watch over the paddy fields in a small treehouse nearby to ensure that animals like elephants and wild boars would not invade and destroy the crops.

These practices remain largely unchanged in rural areas of the country but have changed in urbanized areas of the country. In addition, farmers used a myriad of pesticides to keep their crops free of insects like the paddy bug and the ‘palathuru massa’.

(vi)Diseases

The ‘kanna’ system which was followed by the farmers ensured that their crops would stay free of diseasos. In addition, they also relied on natural organic methods to keep their crops free of diseases. It was a common practice to pray to various Gods in an attempt to keep their crops safe.

It is common practice to use a variant of rice which is resistant to disease at present times and genetically modified variants of rice are also used by the farmers to ensure cultivation of disease free crops.

(vii)Harvesting

Farmers would harvest the yield of paddy when the grains turned to a shade close to gold. They would often sing ‘Goyam Kavi’; a form of indigenous poem, while harvesting the crop. They used ‘dekethi’ (sickle) and many other tools to harvest the produce Harvesting was done with the help of the villagers who lived close by.

Nowadays, harvesters are used in the process of harvesting along with the traditional tools such as ‘dekethi’, which were used in ancient times. In contrast to the practices of the past, paid labour is used to help the farmer with the harvesting. The harvested paddy is stored in a structure called a ‘Vee Bissa’.

(b)The Vewa and Agriculture

Sri Lanka boasts of an eminent ancient hydraulic civilization. The technology used in the construction of the tanks was unparalleled to any other technology used in the world at that time, and has fascinated many eminent hydraulic engineers like Henry Parker (an engineer who served in the Department of Irrigation during the 18th century). The lives of the ancient villagers and the ‘Vewa’ were interconnected, and the absence of an irrigation tank in a certain area marked the absence of a paddy field or a village in that place. The Vewa was not just used as a source of water but was closely tied to the birth of the cultural features of the society of that day. The usage of Vewas and the traditions associated with it were passed down from generation to generation and can still be seen today.

The fact that villages were named after the Vewas (Minneriya, Galenbindunu Vewa, Koon Vewa, Kandalama) which were present in those areas is a stark example of the importance of the role that a Vewa played in the lives of the villagers.

  

The Vewas are still used in present times for agriculture. The tanks which were built by the kings of Sri Lanka have been maintained to be kept in using condition and are being used widely for the supply of water to paddy fields and other lands used for cultivation. New tanks such as the Senanayake Samudraya, Victoria Reservoir, Randenigala Reservoir, Rantambe Reservoir, and the Kothmale Reservoir have been built to supply water for agriculture and also to produce hydroelectricity.

(i)Large Scale Vewas

Most Sri Lankan kings showed patronage towards agriculture and used their wealth and power to make large scale tanks which would help to make the country richer by agriculture. The ancient kings were held in high regard according to the number of tanks that the king constructed. A large labor force and many irrigation engineers was need for the successful construction of a tank. The administration and maintenance of a tank was delegated to an official called the ‘Vew Vidane’.

(a)Structure

      

 i.   Tank Bund (Vew Bamma):  

Pressed soil was used to build the tank bund. It is said that the

engineers of the past made heavy animals to trod over the tank bund    in order to strengthen it. The tank bund is what hold the water inside the tank.

Engineers during present times build a dam (which is a similar   structure to a bund) in order to hold back the water in a reservoir 

ii. Sluice Gates (Sorowwa)     : 

Sluices are used to release water towards the paddy fields from the tank. A sluice gate consists of two parts called the Mada Sorowwa and the Goda Sorowwa. The Mada Sorrowa is used to put out the silt which is collected at the bottom of the tank while the Goda Sorowwa releases water into paddy fields. There are two types of sluices and they are categorized according to the technology that is used to build them. The ingenuity of the technology used in the Bisokotuwa (Valve pit) is praised by many an expert in hydraulics. Constructed of granite, the bisokotuwa which takes the shape of a well contains a complex water management technology called the ‘Mohola’, which releases the right amount of water from a tank at the proper moment, to protect the tank from damage. Small vewas use a system called a log sluice gate, which is an assembly of small logs which are on top of each other. Such a tank can be emptied by taking off all the logs.

Present day dams employ a spillway to achieve the objective achieved by the sluices in the tanks of ancient times.

     

iii. Surplus Weir (Pitavana)     :

 Damage can be caused to the tank bund due to the collection of extra water due to heavy rainfall. The ‘pitavana’ is used to protect the dam from the damage caused due to the above mentioned reason. The excess water expelled from the ‘pitavana’ is sent out of the tank through a canal called the ‘van ela’.The spillway achieves all these in a present day reservoir or tank.

     

iv. Stone Liner (Ralapanava)   : 

This is on the inner surface of the tank bund and is constructed to prevent the tank bund from eroding.There is no such implementation in present day tanks.

     

v. Vew Thavalla                     : 

The Vaw Thavulla was maintained to prevent the input of silt and debris into the water body. This was done by growing a layer of trees along the banks of the Vewa. There is no such method implemented at present times

      

vi. Diyakata Pahana               : 

This was used to measure the water level in the tank, and was useful in determining the amount of water which was to be sent out to the paddy fields. If the water level was too high, a large amount of water was sent out, and if the water level was too low, a restricted amount of water was sent out

Some of the present day reservoirs use a system which release the excess water in an automated fashion. Water regulation is controlled by computers and is very efficient.

(c)Paddy Storage (Vee Bissa)

The ‘Vee Bissa’ is one of the greatest inventions of ancient farmers. Both the paddy which was to be used for consumption and the paddy which was to be used for cultivation were both stored in the ‘Vee Bissa’. Different types of ‘Vee Bissas’ were built depending on the quality and the type of paddy. Ma Vee Bissa, Vadimal Vee Bissa and Bala Vee Bissa are among some of these Vee Bissas. Other types of paddy storages such as the Piduru Bissa, Waruva, Veniya and Pesa were popular among ancient farmers

(i)The social significance of the Vee Bissa

The Vee Bissa was an important part of the ancient society and was used in ancient times to assess a person’s wealth and power. The number of Vee Bissas owned by a person was taken into consideration in marriage proposals as well.

Paddy is stored in huge granaries during preset times and the use of the Vee Bissa has been restricted to the rural areas.

(ii)The technology of the Vee Bissa

A lot of traditions and customs were followed when building a Vee Bissa. It was normally built in front of the house, away from the lavatories and the backyard. Places with high humidity or a constant prescence of water was avoided when bulding a Vee Bissa. The basic idea was that a well lit up and dry place was the best place for building a Vee Bissa. All the materials needed to build one was obtained from the Jungle and the Vee Bissa was made in a way that ensured the protection of the paddy that it would hold within.

The base of the Vee Bissa featured four column made of wood or stone. The columns are built in such a way that the Vee Bissa would be about a meter above the ground to ensure that it did not touch any soil or that any moisture would not get into the paddy through the soil. Clay obtained from anthills was used to make the Vee Bissa and the inner walls of the Vee Bissa were coated with cow dung to prevent any insects from eating the paddy. The highly porous and sticky red anthill clay was commonly used for this purpose as it dried up quickly and did not cause any cracks upon drying. The dried clay does not absorb water and is therefore extremely useful in the storage of the paddy. The tiny pores in the clay which is used to build the Vee Bissa ensure proper ventilation and the oval shape of the Vee Bissa too was very effective in the uniform spread of ventilation. The top of the Vee Bissa was covered with a Piyassa which prevented water from entering the Vee Bissa from the top and also provided a shpe to the Vee Bissa. This system also prevented the growth of various fungal infections in the paddy.

Organic pest control methods like spreading ‘Kaduru Gediya, ‘Kukuru Mana ’ leaves and lime were used to keep away insects. A layer of Margosa leaves was spread over the top of the paddy one the Vee Bissa was filled. This was also done to stop insects from feeding on the paddy.

The germination power of the paddy was well protected within the Vee Bissa and therefore the paddy within the Vee Bissa could also be used for germination purposes.

(iii)The importance of the Vee Bissa

 Farmers of the present generation face many problems related to the storage of paddy. The ancient farmers did not face any of these problems as they used the Vee Bissa and it allowed them to store large amount of paddy in a safe way for a long time.

The germination power of paddy was well preserved in the Vee Bissa and no technology found today can do what the Vee Bissa did to that efficacy. Today’s farmers use storage compartments made of cement when storing paddy, however these do not preserve the paddy as well as the Vee Bissa.

Effects of the modern changes that have been implemented in Agriculture in Sri Lanka

Agriculture has changed vastly when we compare the system that was used in the past to that which is used at present times.

• The plough and the bull has been replaced with the tractor for ploughing purposes. This has made the process of ploughing very easy but has reduced the produce of the crop due to the deposition of engine oil on the paddy field. The environment is also affected badly due to the emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

•  The natural organic fertilizers which ancient farmers used have been replaced by chemical fertilizers. This has led to a downfall in soil nutrition for the next kanna and has also led to the pollution in water in agricultural areas, which has been a direct cause for the ‘Chronic Kidney Disease’ in the Rajarata area.

• The weeds which were taken care of manually by the women in ancient times has been substituted with chemicals which have been produced to kill weeds. These chemicals are very strong and they have also played a part in the deprivation of soil nutrients in the agricultural areas. These chemicals have also played a huge role in the ‘Chronic Kidney Disease’ which has been rampant in the Rajarata and down south areas due to the pollution of water with these chemicals.

• Present day reservoirs and dams have been built more efficiently due to the advancement of technology, but there is a dearth of water for agricultural practices due to the lack of tanks and reservoirs in some areas.

·         The usage of gene modified varieties of rice may lead to unknown repercussions as these types of crops have never been tested before of humans.

·         Storage of paddy has been a problem at present times, and many tonnes of paddy have been thrown away as they were spoilt due to improper storage conditions. The technology used in the Vee Bissa has not been replaced with something satisfactory as of today.

Proposed Changes to make Agriculture within Sri Lanka more efficient and better

·         Use tractors which are more efficient and environment friendly to plough the land and to harvest the crops. Make sure that the paddy field is not polluted due to the use of such machines.

·         Natural organic fertilizers should be implemented again within the agricultural sector of Sri Lanka, and the government should take steps to discourage the use of chemical fertilizers. This will lead to a better yield of crops and better soil conditions. This will also lead to the decrease of the ‘Chronic Kidney Disease’ condition which has spread within the country.

·         More tanks have to be built to supply water to agricultural lands. This will lead to a higher produce and will help to increase the GDP of the country.

·         New methods have to be created for the handling of weeds within paddy fields. These methods should not harm the environment in any way.

·         The crop varieties that have been used in the past has decreased. Earlier over 200 varieties of paddy were cultivated within the country, and this helped to the successful management of disease in paddy. But now only a few varieties of paddy are grown within the land. This has led to the widespread of disease within the country. If we implement the method that was used in the past, we may be able to reduce the spread of these diseases. This method would be much safer than using gene modified varieties of paddy until they are tested true.

·         The present day storage systems have been found inefficient and it is advisable to utilize the technology used in the Vee Bissa has to build efficient systems for the storage of paddy.

·         The government has to separate more money for the development and the upbringing of agriculture within the island. Sri Lanka has always been an agricultural nation and it is possible to base our economy on agriculture as it was done before

END