Traditional farming in Sri Lanka has a history that dates back to thousands of years. It was a farming as well as a farming culture integrated into the ancient society.
In recent times, the so-called 'Eco-Farming', 'Sustainable Farming' farming practices remember the features of that traditional farming. Many scholars today identify the above-mentioned farming methods as a combination of the principles of traditional farming and the natural ecosystem.
Sri Lanka had the first impact on the traditional agriculture inherited by the people with the planting of the first tea plantation at Lulkandura Estate, Nawalapitiya in 1868. The self-sufficient economic culture that existed until then was replaced by monocropping and export agriculture. The loss of traditional methods of cultivation could be seen in the areas area where export crops were grown, But the introduction of the “Green Revolution” technology in the late 1960s and with that technology, and the open economy in 1977, were the main reasons Sri Lanka's traditional farming system to be eradicated. They were able to introduce traditional farming as a primitive, unproductive thing, and a farming system that threw those practices away.
Thus, farming was mechanized and chemicalized, which depended on foreign inputs, replaced traditional farming. Although the process varies from region to region, traditional farming can be described as the practice of farming based on the experience of one's past generations. In their own experience, they can take various actions on that farming.
The specialty of traditional farming is that it should be done on time, on time, on art, on the pattern. The farmer has a strong traditional knowledge of these practices. The season, rain, wind, drought, could be known by the experience and natural phenomenons. Therefore, traditional farming is based on nature and the environment.
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| A Local Farmer respecting a water buffalo |
Characteristics of traditional farming
No external inputs
No external inputs were applied to this farm type of farming. They used locally obtained, biodegradable resources for farming. Perhaps if not on his farm, he at least got those resources from his neighbor. They were exchanging the seeds and planting materials for free. They also had free manure of cattle and goats.
Mixed Cropping
Crops were always grown mixed. Abaha and kurakkan sowed together. In humus, maize, pumpkin, and, further down, eggplant, chili, okra, green gram, and undu were grown on the same land. Accordingly, a large variety of crops was found in those lands. Unlike today, not a single crop, not a single crop, was planted covering the entire cropland. This reduces the risk of failure of a single crop. Also , this increased the biodiversity within the farm itself.
Culture and discipline
Traditional peasants had brought all aspects of farming under a certain control. They had the use of all resources, water, land, and the protection of the lake. Seeds, crop production, exchange were their own. It was up to them to decide when to plant and when to irrigate.
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