No abstract

At present, the expenditure on fertilizer subsidy has become a heavy burden on the budget in Sri Lanka. The studies which attempted to analyze the impact of fertilizer subsidy on the productivity of paddy farming also provide rather mixed results. Thus, the present study aims to identify the effects of government fertilizer subsidy policy on the productivity of small-scale paddy farming in Sri Lanka by employing the econometric model developed by Hu and Antle (1993). The primary data for the study were drawn from a field survey conducted in the Hinguraggoda Divisinal Secretariat division in Polonnaruwa district. The results revealed that fertilizer subsidy has a positive impact on the productivity of paddy farming, but with decidedly less responsiveness (highly inelastic) indicating the need for agricultural policy priorities to enhance the positive responsiveness of fertilizer subsidy on farm productivity. The results further revealed a positive relationship between the level of farmer education and the productivity of a paddy farm. The study suggests the need of farm-level experiments (soil analysis, technological adaptations, water management techniques, type of adaptable paddy varieties, and extension inputs) to enhance the positive responsiveness of fertilizer subsidy policy on small-scale paddy farm productivity in Sri Lanka.

Paddy cultivation is major part in rural agriculture sector in Sri Lanka. Majority of rural sector paddy farmers are small-scale producers. According to available data paddy production sector provides livelihood opportunities for large numbers of rural population, provide rice requirement of the nation, provide inputs to other industrial sector etc.To enhance small-scale farmers living condition as well as paddy production, Sri Lankan government promotes paddy farmers to use more fertilizer for their paddy cultivation activities. Therefore, Sri Lankan government provides subsidized fertilizer to enhance both paddy production and paddy yield per acre. Last few decades paddy production and paddy yield per acre data show continues increasing trend. At the same time government expenditure on fertilizer also becomes heavy burden to national budget. There are arguments for and against to fertilizer subsidy program and its practice. This study attempts to study the effect of fertilizer subsidy on paddy production and living condition of small-scale farmers in Polonnaruwa district in Sri Lanka. The data are used to estimate an econometric model to find the relationship between paddy productivity, fertilizer subsidy, agricultural infrastructure facilities and farmers education level. The data were collected from Bubula and Raja-elagama villages in Higurakgoda divisional secretariat in Polonnaruwa district. Structured questioner was used to collect the data from 150 farmers. The results show that there is significant relationship between paddy production and dependent variables named fertilizer subsidy, agricultural infrastructure facilities and farmers education level. Especially fertilizer subsidy and paddy productivity is significant at 5 per cent level and R2 was 0.68. This result shows that government main objective of fertilizer subsidy that improves paddy productivity has been fulfilled. At the same time, household income from paddy has also increased and it has affected their livelihoods. But poor agricultural infrastructural facilities have mitigated farmers’ income. Research results and some empirical evidence have concluded that it is important to find alternative methods to select suitable and needy farmers who are eligible to get fertilizer subsidy because conducting methods of distributing have made many kinds of effects on the efficiency of resource utilization, equity of income distribution as well as government budget. Agricultural infrastructure facilities are very important for making fertilizer subsidy programs more meaningful and to have a significant effect on enhancing paddy farmers’ living conditions.

No abstract

The ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka has many root causes and consequences that are closely interlinked. Given its complexities, it should not be assumed that these causes are part of historical processes where one event led to another. Often many of the issues that may be regarded as root causes arose within a single but extended context and equally as often, simultaneously. This study investigates between ethnic grievances and land, irrigation and agricultural policies in the country using historical data and evidences. It is found that there is no enough evidence to support the argument that land, agriculture and irrigation policies have some impacts on emerging conflicts situation in north and east provinces in Sri Lanka. Though some people argue that land conflict is often linked with the ethnic conflict, a large number of land conflicts in the North and East are found to be common issues for all communities and could be resolved with an appropriate national plan that is prepared by considering the demand of all communities.