Thursday, 14 August 2014 00:00
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The severe drought that has hit an estimated 1.5 million Sri Lankans includes a particularly high vulnerable group of 768,000 people in urgent need of basic food and livelihood requirements, a report from the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned, as criticism against the Government increases.
Three consecutive years of natural disasters have undermined household resilience, the report warns, pointing out populations in affected areas have built up unsustainable levels of debts, have insufficient access to water for irrigation, have limited quality seed supply and are exposed to a continued decline in agricultural income.
The severe nine-month drought has affected people in the north, north central and eastern parts of the country. Severely drought-affected areas are the main rice-producing regions in Sri Lanka, a vital staple for the population.
Increases in food prices due to drought nudged up Sri Lanka’s July inflation to 3.6% from 2.8% the previous month, reviving ghosts of years past. In 2012 a severe drought reduced growth from the projected 7.2% to 6.7%. Analysts warn projected growth of 7.8% for 2014 could also be similarly affected but the Government has not rolled back estimates. Food security for the entire country is an issue as the drought shows no signs of abating.
The WFP in its report warned household food consumption has deteriorated sharply. Due to the drought 18% of households consume inadequate diets, a threefold increase from what was once 6%. As the drought worsens, more and more families are borrowing heavily just to meet daily needs. Large numbers have taken loans higher than their annual income, making indebtedness a continued burden for too many.
The WFP has called for immediate coordinated relief and agricultural inputs, specifically targeting the vulnerable households, are recommended to prevent a further collapse in household resilience. The lack of precipitation has damaged 83,746 hectares of paddy lands, or 13% of planted area. The production loss of paddy is estimated at 280,000 MT, or 15% of forecasted production.
Making matters worse, the forecast for Yala remains speculative. However, with the unfavourable el Nino climate outlook, insufficient water reserves for Yala cultivation, given that 90% of the surveyed population did not had quality seeds, only 23% of farming households are preparing for paddy cultivation. This indicates that Yala production will likely be insufficient to offset the Maha losses.The Sri Lankan Government initially pledged Rs. 1.9 billion ($ 1.47 million) and then last week boosted it with another $ 1 million. The WFP also notes the Government spent Rs.276 million in relief over the last three years, a pittance at best. One of the key policies of the Mahinda Chinthana policy framework was the major revival of irrigation schemes that would have been the bedrock of competent water management systems. However, the Government’s relief programs are hobbled by its short-term nature, limited resources and bureaucratic apathy. Both the United National Party (UNP) and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) have called the Government into account highlighting bad policy decisions and inequitable distribution of capital investment. They have also launched scathing attacks on governance insisting even existing relief is undermined by corruption. Sri Lanka’s last major drought was in 2012 but it seems no lessons have been learnt. Long-term policies also need to consider how to move agriculture workforce away from its traditional pursuits without harming food security.
