Defeating the drought

Several parts of the island have been reeling under the effects of severe drought conditions with some parts experiencing the worst drought in over four decades. A month ago, about 2.2 million people were reportedly affected by the conditions while Government officials reckon the recent rains as well as those expected later this month will ease that number to around 1.7 million.

According to the Disaster Management Centre, 20 districts, including 143 divisional secretariat divisions, were affected by the drought with the highest number of victims being reported in Kurunegala at close to 250,000.

Food security issues have plagued rural areas as a result with many from the farming community having to abandon their crops and seek other modes of employment to make ends meet. Some reports indicate that families have been forced to have just one meal a day and have even resorted to consuming the stocks of rice kept for seeding purposes. A World Food Programme survey revealed that debt in the worst affected areas had risen by as much as 50%.

Drought relief efforts are expected to cost about Rs. 2.5 billion, according to the Treasury Department, but the World Food Programme said in its August report only around 22% of the surveyed families had access to Government relief.

Drought in Sri Lanka and the economic implications of it are certainly nothing new to the country or successive governments. However, the response to these frequent occurrences has been typically reactive and short-sighted. Pressure mounts on the Government to find a lasting solution to this issue, given its regularity, as the country’s growth objectives hang in the balance. Yet no concerted effort to offset the negative effects of water scarcity by way of a national drought policy which is timely, well-coordinated and sustainable seems to be any closer.

The National Food Production Battle, implemented under the guidance of the President, was kicked off last week with the aim of boosting the national food production program and reviving the agricultural sector. Furthermore, the President also announced that the Government would remove all taxes on imported agricultural equipment in order to boost the sector. 

The Budget 2018 will also include a number of proposals to strengthen the agricultural economy and the economic situation of farmers.

However, effective monitoring and an early warning system that delivers timely information to decision-makers are imperative in solving the social and economic problems brought about by extensive droughts. Effective impact assessment procedures, proactive risk management measures, preparedness plans aimed at increasing the coping capacity and effective emergency response programs directed at reducing the impact of drought are all important instead of the tired routine of reactive relief efforts that have served as the traditional response to these issues by successive governments in the past.

Droughts have devastating effects on the rural agricultural population of this country largely because their knowledge on climate change is extremely limited. Despite the Government’s efforts to bring forward the major paddy seasons by several weeks, the reception at the grassroots level has been sporadic. This has hampered effective change greatly as well.

Noticeable change has been slow in coming but with the speed in which global warming is affecting the world, drought and flood-related measures have to be made permanent fixtures in policymaking in tandem with environmental conservation, research and technology.