Sri Lanka’s agricultural backbone, the Monaragala District, is buckling under the weight of climate change, according to the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ). Executive Director, Dilena Pathragoda, speaking to The Island Financial Review said that their study outlines a stark warning that the district’s economic survival is in grave danger unless urgent action is taken.
Speaking on the findings of a new study, he stated, “The impacts of climate change are no longer distant predictions. They are happening here and now; devastating crops, livelihoods and the economic lifeblood of Monaragala.”
The report paints a worrying picture. Monaragala, traditionally a region reliant on rice, sugarcane and seasonal crops, is seeing shifts in temperature and rainfall that severely disrupt agricultural activities. The district’s average temperature has already risen by one degree Celsius over the past four decades, a trend that is expected to accelerate. Future climate projections suggest that, without substantial mitigation efforts, the region could experience temperature increases that make traditional farming almost impossible during key growing seasons.
Rainfall, once predictable and sufficient to sustain farming cycles, is becoming increasingly erratic. Extended dry spells and unseasonal rains are throwing planting schedules into chaos. The report notes that the first inter-monsoon and Northeast monsoon periods, critical to both paddy and seasonal crop cultivation, are seeing decreased rainfall in key areas. This reduction is contributing to an alarming depletion of groundwater and reservoir levels, threatening both crop irrigation and drinking water supplies.
Pathragoda emphasized that the economic consequences of these changes are already being felt. Farmers, particularly in areas like Siyambalanduwa and Buttala, are struggling to maintain their livelihoods. Loss of crops not only reduces household incomes but also increases food insecurity and triggers wider economic instability. With agriculture employing a significant majority of Monaragala’s working population, the ripple effects of climate failures are profound, reaching into every sector from local markets to transportation and small industries.
Compounding the issue is the poor state of local irrigation systems. According to the study, many of the district’s small and medium-scale tanks, once critical sources of irrigation, have been abandoned or fallen into disrepair. Water shortages have led to fierce competition among farmers and the need to adopt costly alternatives, such as deep-well pumping systems, is pushing many into debt. Meanwhile, the lack of access to drought-resistant crop varieties and modern water conservation technologies is leaving the majority of smallholder farmers dangerously exposed.
The Centre for Environmental Justice is calling for an immediate, coordinated response. Pathragoda insists that restoration of water storage infrastructure, adoption of climate-resilient agriculture techniques and the empowerment of local farming communities must become national priorities. He pointed out that the survival of Monaragala’s economy, and indeed its social stability, depends on whether these adaptation measures are rolled out quickly and effectively.
“The time for abstract discussions is over,” Pathragoda said. “We must bring national policies down to the village level, equipping farmers with real tools to adapt and survive. Otherwise, we risk witnessing an irreversible collapse not only of livelihoods but of entire communities.”
The situation in Monaragala serves as a grim warning for other districts in Sri Lanka. Without decisive action, the economic heart of rural Sri Lanka could wither under the harsh new realities of a changing climate, leaving devastation in its wake.
By Ifham Nizam
from The Island https://ift.tt/g13MX8D
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