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The Inquiry: Why did Sri Lanka’s organic farming dream fail?

Why did Sri Lanka’s organic farming dream fail?

21/04/2022 GMT

BBC World Service - The Inquiry, Why did Sri Lanka’s organic farming dream fail?

How a bold plan to abandon chemical fertilizers proved disastrous for Sri Lanka's farmers

In 2021 Sri Lanka’s president announced farming in Sri Lanka would go completely organic. Within a year the organic dream was abandoned. Why did natural farming fail in Sri Lanka?

In 2021 the president of Sri Lanka announced a total ban on chemical fertilizer and pesticides.  The country’s farms were going to go fully organic. 

Health concerns were given as a reason, but in the background was the pandemic, loss of tourism and a lack of natural fertilizer available in the country. 

Sri Lanka is now in the worse economic crisis they have seen in decades and the government has reversed its ban on chemical fertilizer.  

This week on The Inquiry we explore why Sri Lanka’s organic farming dream failed. 

Presented by Charmain Cozier
Produced by Louise Clarke-Rowbotham
Researched by Christopher Blake

(Woman picking tea on plantation in Sri Lanka. Credit: Getty images)

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Why did Sri Lanka’s organic farming dream fail?

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