Country ReportCountry ReportFor Sustainable Rural For Sustainable Rural

DevelopmentDevelopment

Mr. M.S. PremawansaMr. M.S. PremawansaSecretary,Secretary,

Ministry of Agriculture, Central Ministry of Agriculture, Central ProvinceProvinceSri LankaSri Lanka

Introduction of Sri LankaIntroduction of Sri Lanka

• Sri Lanka is an inlandSri Lanka is an inland• Land Area – 65,610 kmLand Area – 65,610 km22

• 65% is not available for Agriculture65% is not available for Agriculture

Introduction of Sri LankaIntroduction of Sri Lanka

• Sri Lanka can be Sri Lanka can be divided in to 3 divided in to 3 main rainfall main rainfall zoneszones

1.1. Wet ZoneWet Zone

2.2. Intermidate ZoneIntermidate Zone

3.3. Dry ZoneDry Zone Wet Zone

IM

Zone

Introduction of Sri LankaIntroduction of Sri Lanka

• The mean annual rainfall varies from The mean annual rainfall varies from about 750 mm in the dry areas to about 750 mm in the dry areas to over 5000 mm in the very wet areas over 5000 mm in the very wet areas for the entire country. for the entire country.

• The mean annual temperature of the The mean annual temperature of the country ranges from about 17 country ranges from about 17 ooC in C in the central highlands to 27.5 the central highlands to 27.5 ooC in C in the northern costal low lands.the northern costal low lands.

General Information of the General Information of the Country Related to The Country Related to The

Rural Development Rural Development

01

01. General Information of the Country 01. General Information of the Country Related to The Rural DevelopmentRelated to The Rural Development

• The total population increased from The total population increased from 5 million in 1948 to 20 million by 5 million in 1948 to 20 million by 2008.2008.

• The per capita land area has The per capita land area has reduced to such a low level that it is reduced to such a low level that it is nearly impossible to sustain the nearly impossible to sustain the population on agriculture population on agriculture

01. General Information of the 01. General Information of the Country Related to The Rural Country Related to The Rural

DevelopmentDevelopment• 85% belongs to 85% belongs to

rural arearural area

• 15% restricts to 15% restricts to urban area. urban area.

• most of the most of the population is population is belonged to rural belonged to rural areas that means areas that means they are highly they are highly agrarian based. agrarian based.

85%

15%

Rural

Urban

• Nearly 40% of the labour in the country Nearly 40% of the labour in the country finds employment in agriculture sector finds employment in agriculture sector

• above 1.8 million families are engaged above 1.8 million families are engaged in paddy cultivation alone.in paddy cultivation alone.

• In the dry zones, the lands are used for In the dry zones, the lands are used for cultivation for homestead gardens of cultivation for homestead gardens of settlers. settlers.

• The agricultural potentials of these The agricultural potentials of these soils are very high. soils are very high.

• The low lands are used for paddy The low lands are used for paddy cultivations cultivations

• In the rural sector, soil utilization In the rural sector, soil utilization plays major role in their plays major role in their socioeconomic development. socioeconomic development.

• wet zone of Sri Lanka supports the wet zone of Sri Lanka supports the export crops, tea, rubber, coconut, export crops, tea, rubber, coconut, spices and orchard crops which are spices and orchard crops which are responsible for about one third of responsible for about one third of the present foreign exchange the present foreign exchange earnings. earnings.

• Unlike industry the record of Unlike industry the record of reforms in agriculture and rural reforms in agriculture and rural development was quite limited development was quite limited during last two decades. Due to during last two decades. Due to that agriculture sector in the that agriculture sector in the country was not developed so well. country was not developed so well. As a result poor populations were As a result poor populations were increased and among those poor increased and among those poor most of them were in rural sector. most of them were in rural sector.

• More importantly, variation of input More importantly, variation of input distribution among the rural and urban, distribution among the rural and urban, rural poverty rates are highest in rural poverty rates are highest in provinces of the highest proportion provinces of the highest proportion of agricultural house holds. of agricultural house holds.

• These disparities are also related with These disparities are also related with the rural development. the rural development.

• As a ExampleAs a Example • The western province has the highest The western province has the highest

density of roads in the Country, while density of roads in the Country, while electricity, education are also in best electricity, education are also in best condition comparing other provinces. condition comparing other provinces.

Percentage of the Percentage of the headcount indices by districtsheadcount indices by districts

ProvinceProvince DistrictDistrict %%

WesternWestern ColomboColombo 66

GampahaGampaha 1111

KalutharaKaluthara 2020

CentralCentral kandykandy 2525

MathaleMathale 3030

N'EliyaN'Eliya 2323

SouthernSouthern GallGall 2626

MataraMatara 2727

HambanthotaHambanthota 3232

Percentage of the Percentage of the headcount indices by districtsheadcount indices by districts

ProvinceProvince DistrictDistrict %%

North WestNorth West KurunegalaKurunegala 2525

PuttalamaPuttalama 3131

North CentralNorth Central AnuradapuraAnuradapura 2020

PolonnaruwaPolonnaruwa 2424

UvaUva BadullaBadulla 3737

MonaragalaMonaragala 3737

SabaragamuSabaragamuwawa

RathnapuraRathnapura 3434

KegallKegall 3232

• Colombo district has the lowest Colombo district has the lowest poverty incidencepoverty incidence

• 6% of its population. 6% of its population. • Low poverty incidence in the western Low poverty incidence in the western

province is largely due to the location province is largely due to the location of Colombo, where most of Sri of Colombo, where most of Sri Lankan's economic activity is Lankan's economic activity is concentrated accounting for half of concentrated accounting for half of the country's GDP. the country's GDP.

• 37% of the population in the district 37% of the population in the district Badulla and Monaragala are poor. Badulla and Monaragala are poor.

• Therefore, best sustainable rural Therefore, best sustainable rural development programme is development programme is essential for the districts where the essential for the districts where the poorest people are engaged. poorest people are engaged.

Government Interventions Government Interventions on Rural Development on Rural Development

02

• During the past experience in Sri Lanka During the past experience in Sri Lanka the Several steps had been taken by the the Several steps had been taken by the Government to develop rural areas.Government to develop rural areas.

• 1948 – 19701948 – 1970• During this period Several rural tanks and Irrigation During this period Several rural tanks and Irrigation

schemes were rehabilitated by the Government.schemes were rehabilitated by the Government.• In dry zone number of colony named In dry zone number of colony named ““GOVI GOVI

JANAPADAJANAPADA”” were established . were established .• 1952 People Bank was established for the rural 1952 People Bank was established for the rural

farmers aiming agricultural finances.farmers aiming agricultural finances.• Food subsidies were given.Food subsidies were given.• Department of Rural Development was established Department of Rural Development was established

and Rural Development officers were attached to and Rural Development officers were attached to the AGA divisions of the country.the AGA divisions of the country.

• 1948 – 1970 cond...1948 – 1970 cond...• Rural Development Societies were Rural Development Societies were

formulated by the RDO.formulated by the RDO.• Special projects, like Galoy valley, were Special projects, like Galoy valley, were

started as a development project.started as a development project.

• 1970 –to- 1977 1970 –to- 1977 • 1972 --- Agrarien Service Centers were 1972 --- Agrarien Service Centers were

established in every D.O. Divisions to established in every D.O. Divisions to develop rural agriculture.develop rural agriculture.

• 1972 --- “ THE LAND REFORM ACT ” was 1972 --- “ THE LAND REFORM ACT ” was introduced. According introduced. According to this act Government took over thousand to this act Government took over thousand of land from the private sectorof land from the private sector..

• 1970 –1977 cond...1970 –1977 cond...• Piece ofPiece of land (2 ha) was given to the land (2 ha) was given to the

poor people and landless people those poor people and landless people those who lived in rural area. who lived in rural area.

• In 1973 a new institute was introduced In 1973 a new institute was introduced to district level to to district level to implement rural development program.implement rural development program.

• 1976 --- 1976 --- “MAHAVELY”“MAHAVELY” Project was Project was started and this project supply water for started and this project supply water for paddy fields and other lowland which paddy fields and other lowland which were in the dry zone.were in the dry zone.

•

• 1976 --- New Economy policy was 1976 --- New Economy policy was Introduced liberalized Economy.Introduced liberalized Economy.

• Trade liberation.Trade liberation.• import duties reduced, export duties abolished. import duties reduced, export duties abolished. • Accelerated Accelerated “ MAHAVELY ” “ MAHAVELY ” Project. Project.• Village Housing Scheme called Village Housing Scheme called "GAMUDAWA""GAMUDAWA" was was

introduced.introduced.• Garments factories were established in rural area.Garments factories were established in rural area.• “ “ JANASAVIYA ”JANASAVIYA ” Subsides program was started, and Subsides program was started, and

“GRAMODAYA MANDALA“GRAMODAYA MANDALA ”” village society was village society was also established in the all villages. The rural also established in the all villages. The rural people joined those programmes and people joined those programmes and they worked as the labours forces.they worked as the labours forces.

• 1976 ---cond...1976 ---cond...• In the year 1994 The new program was In the year 1994 The new program was

began for the rural development. It is began for the rural development. It is called called “ SAMURDHI ”“ SAMURDHI ”. Government . Government appoint one officer for every village to appoint one officer for every village to implement this program. implement this program.

• In 2005 several projects were introduced In 2005 several projects were introduced by the government. by the government.

• SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS – Maga Neguma - Maga Neguma -

• Construction of villages roads.Construction of villages roads.

– Gama NegumaGama Neguma• Formulated “Jana Sabha” ,Every Formulated “Jana Sabha” ,Every

villages joined to this society and they villages joined to this society and they discuss and select the needs of the discuss and select the needs of the village. village.

• Agricultural Develpment programme.Agricultural Develpment programme.

Best Practices Best Practices Concerning the Rural Concerning the Rural

DevelopmentDevelopment

03

• Several projects mentioned above were implemented for the rural development.Each of the above mentioned projects were time bound and not sustainable.

•These projects were not interrelated each other.

•By considering Empowering of rural production, social protection, development of subsidies programme, savings, rural infrastructure development, forming of volunteer groups “SAMURDHI” is a best implement practice of rural development.

Problems and prospects in Problems and prospects in rural development in your rural development in your

countrycountry

04

No PROBLEM PROPOSEL

01 Land Scarcity. Implement land use policy.

02 Misfit between the inherited road/Transport net work and road in fracture needs.

Develop infrastructure roads, irrigation and others.

03 Under employment or unemployment.

Establish new Industries in rural areas (Agro base industries)

04 Informal credit market in the rural areas with non institutional lenders and borrowers with low credit worthiness. Hence high interest rate. Modern sector fails to absorb the rural surplus labour.

Promote Rural Banks or cooperative banks.

05 Environmental Problems.Economic potentialities of wet lands not exploited.

Develop those lands for Eco--Tourism

No PROBLEM PROPOSEL

06 Price fluctuation for Rural products The polu should be run on developmental criteria.Maximizing/ establishing from products prices.Storage facilities are essential for the Farmers.

07 Bank credit does not penetrate down to the poorer classes in the rural sector to provide the finance to promote their investment activities.

Demand SideGroup lending Schemes.Introduce mobile banks.

08 Informal lobour market of the rural sector with low wages due to low lobour productivity.

Encourage them selves to organize.

09 Low productivity in small industries in rural area.

Establish crat villages.Train unemployed youth generation.

10 Women ISSUSES Their affective participation in Economic and Social activities are week due to their poverty, lack of awareness.

Make awareness Programms.