{"id":127118,"date":"2022-07-19T04:25:04","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T11:25:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=127118"},"modified":"2022-07-19T04:25:04","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T11:25:04","slug":"did-sri-lankas-president-ban-chemical-fertilizer-on-advice-of-indian-ecologist-vandana-shiva","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2022\/07\/19\/did-sri-lankas-president-ban-chemical-fertilizer-on-advice-of-indian-ecologist-vandana-shiva\/","title":{"rendered":"Did Sri Lanka\u2019s President ban chemical fertilizer on advice of Indian ecologist Vandana Shiva?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n
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In April 2021, Sri Lanka\u2019s President Gotabaya Rajapakse banned chemical fertilizer. The decision was sudden & no one really knew who advised the President. It now emerges that the President was advised by none other than Indian ecologist Vandana Shiva. As a result paddy crop failed resulting in retail price of rice increasing by 30% and tea production falling by 40%. However, anyone can give advice, but it has to be taken pragmatically. Nevertheless, we must wonder if this was part of the political & economic collapse of Sri Lanka. Therefore not just the President but all those that nodded their heads & gave a thumbs to the ban up must be held accountable. The decision was far more than stopping use of chemicals in one\u2019s home garden. Who introduced Vandana Shiva & her organization Navdanya International to the President?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vandana Shiva hailed the decision by President Gotabaya Rajapakse in her website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/navdanyainternational.org\/calendar\/the-commitment-of-the-sri-lankan-government-to-go-organic\/<\/a>Vandana Shiva\u2019s Navdanya International website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunday Observer interviewed Vandana Shiva: Organic Farming the Only Way Out \u2013 31 Oct 2021 https:\/\/www.sundayobserver.lk\/2021\/10\/31\/spectrum\/organic-farming-only-way-out<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Ranil Senanayake is also a member of Vandana Shiva\u2019s organization called the ban on fertilizer A brave, futuristic move that requires balancing science with tradition\u201d https:\/\/www.themorning.lk\/a-brave-futuristic-move-that-requires-balancing-science-with-tradition\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 11 April 2022 Dr. Monica Verma of the South Asian University writing to an online journal alludes to President Rajapakse\u2019s election manifesto that outlined the transition to organic farming across 10 years. Therefore, it was a shock to many why in April 2021 he would announce a total ban on the import of chemical fertilizers & agrochemicals. While one of the reasons to ban imports was Sri Lanka\u2019s forex situation, the blanket ban resulted in farmer protests primarily from lack of preparedness by parties concerned & price increases. Eventually by November 2021 the ban had to be revoked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In June 2022 Soumya Bhowmick from the Observer Research Foundation too alleges Vandana Shiva to be the architect of the agri-fiasco in Sri Lanka causing the political and economic collapse of Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sanjeev Sabhlok\u2019s blog gives a detailed account of why Vandana Shiva is to blame<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Vandana Shiva’s involvement in Sri Lanka’s attempt to massacre its own people<\/a><\/blockquote>