Skip to content
Go to News

Let’s Learn from Sri Lanka but Not Jump to Conclusions

by Rebekah Weber |

Earlier this month, former top California Department of Food and Agriculture scientist Dr. Amrith Gunasekara published a blistering criticism of Sri Lanka’s policy to ban synthetic fertilizers, which caused farmers to start farming organically virtually overnight. The devastating results are outlined by Dr. Gunasekara in an article published in AgAlert on September 20, 2022.

Unfortunately, the article then points to the resulting agricultural challenges in Sri Lanka as a cautionary tale for California. The comparison is misleading for a few key reasons.

  1.  Sri Lanka is not California. 

    As reported by IFOAM: “Sri Lanka is currently facing numerous issues, including massive protests. It is important to note that the reasons for the crisis are far-reaching and complex. Our tourism sector suffered greatly during COVID. There is a severe shortage of cooking gas and record-high inflation, to name but a few of these issues. This, combined with the fact that Sri Lanka has always been importing food at large scale, means there is now a shortage of food. We cannot link this to the plan to go organic at all, particularly as it only lasted seven months in its original form. Sri Lanka was already in a crisis long before the announcement.”

     

  2.  Organic policy in Sri Lanka is not organic policy in California.

    Sri Lanka pushed farmers to farm organically overnight, without preparation. California is considering a gradual increase over a 22-year period in organic farming from 10% to 20% of cultivated land in the state. These two policies are opposite approaches to large-scale elimination of synthetic fertilizers. 

    California also has a number of policies already in place to support the transition to organic. Investment in organic technical assistance provides farmers with the necessary support to adopt organic practices, California’s Farm to School program incentivizes organic procurement to continue expanding organic markets, and there is a substantial influx of federal dollars to build out organic supply chains, market development, and technical and financial assistance. If anything, California’s growing organic market makes the case for accelerating organic transition. 

     

  3. Organic yields are comparable to conventional.

    On-farm research trials show that organic fruit1,  vegetable2,  grain3,  and forage4,5  yields are comparable to conventional yields when organic farmers build long-term soil fertility6 and use diversification practices such as crop rotation and multi-cropping7.  In numerous research trails, organic yields are equivalent to and even surpass conventional yields.8,9,10,11,12  

    Researchers attribute lower yields on working organic farms,13  especially new or transitioning farms14,  to gaps in knowledge about organic practices and adjustments to non-chemical management15.  Yields typically increase when farmers learn better weed management techniques and refine organic practices such as crop diversification, crop rotation, and cover cropping.16,17,18 Numerous scientists conclude that with increased organic research and grower education, organic agriculture can produce highly competitive yields.19,20,21

Let’s learn from Sri Lanka but not jump to conclusions. An ill-conceived organic policy in Sri Lanka is not a reason to back away from all organic policies the world over. We know that farmers should not be forced to change practices overnight. We also know that with the right support farmers can successfully transition to organic.

The climate, economic, and health benefits of organic agriculture should continue to inform California policy moving forward. 

1 Peck, G. M., Andrews, P. K., Reganold, J. P., & Fellman, J. K. (2006). Apple orchard productivity and fruit quality under organic, conventional, and integrated management. Hort science, 41, 99-107.

2 Wolf, K., Herrera, I., Tomich, T. P., & Scow, K. (2017). Long-term agricultural experiments inform the development of climate-smart agricultural practices. California Agriculture, 71, 120-124.

3 Cavigelli, M., Mirsky, S., Teasdale, J., Spargo, J., & Doran, J. (2013). Organic grain cropping systems to enhance ecosystem services. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 28(2), 145-159.

4 Posner, J. L., Baldock, J. O., & Hedtke, J. L. (2008). Organic and conventional production systems in the Wisconsin integrated cropping systems trials: I. productivity 1990–2002. Agron. J., 100, 253–260.

5 Pimentel, D., Hepperly, P., Hanson, J., Douds, D., & Seidel, R. (2005). Environmental, energetic, and economic comparisons of organic and conventional farming systems. Bioscience, 55(7), 573-582.

6 Wolf, K., Herrera, I., Tomich, T. P., & Scow, K. (2017). Long-term agricultural experiments inform the development of climate-smart agricultural practices. California Agriculture, 71, 120-124.

7 Ponisio, L. C., M’Gonigle, L. K., Mace, K. C., Palomino, J., de Valpine, P., & Kremen, C. (2015). Diversification practices reduce organic to conve

8 Spargo, J. T., Cavigelli, M. A., Mirsky, S. B., Maul, J. E., & Meisinger, J. J. (2011). Mineralizable soil nitrogen and labile soil organic matter in diverse long-term cropping systems. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 90(2), 253–266.

9 Wolf, K., Herrera, I., Tomich, T. P., & Scow, K. (2017). Long-term agricultural experiments inform the development of climate-smart agricultural practices. California Agriculture, 71, 120-124.

10 Posner, J. L., Baldock, J. O., & Hedtke, J. L. (2008). Organic and conventional production systems in the Wisconsin integrated cropping systems trials: I. productivity 1990–2002. Agron. J., 100, 253–260.

11 Cavigelli, M., Mirsky, S., Teasdale, J., Spargo, J., & Doran, J. (2013). Organic grain cropping systems to enhance ecosystem services. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 28(2), 145-159.

12 Delate, K., & Cambardella, C. (2004). Organic production: agroecosystem performance during transition to certified organic grain production. Agron J., 96, 1288-1298.

13 Kniss, A. R., Savage, S. D., & Jabbour, R. (2016). Commercial crop yields reveal strengths and weaknesses for organic agriculture in the United States. PLOS ONE, 11(8), e0161673.

14 Archer, D. W., Jaradat, A. A., Johnson, J. M.-F., Weyers,

S. L., Gesch, R. W., Forcella, F., & Kludze, H. K. (2007). Crop productivity and economics during the transition to alternative cropping systems. Agron. J., 99, 1538–1547.

15 Martini, E. A., Buyer, J. S., Bryant, D. C., Hartz, T. K. & Denison, R. F. (2004). Yield increases during the organic transition: improving soil quality or increasing experience? Field Crops Research, 86(2-3), 255-266.

16 Posner, J. L., Baldock, J. O., & Hedtke, J. L. (2008). Organic and conventional production systems in the Wisconsin integrated cropping systems trials: I. productivity 1990–2002. Agron. J., 100, 253–260.

17 Spargo, J. T., Cavigelli, M. A., Mirsky, S. B., Maul, J. E., & Meisinger, J. J. (2011). Mineralizable soil nitrogen and labile soil organic matter in diverse long-term cropping systems. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 90(2), 253–266.

18 Archer, D. W., Jaradat, A. A., Johnson, J. M.-F., Weyers,

S. L., Gesch, R. W., Forcella, F., & Kludze, H. K. (2007). Crop productivity and economics during the transition to alternative cropping systems. Agron. J., 99, 1538–1547.

19 Cavigelli, M., Mirsky, S., Teasdale, J., Spargo, J., & Doran, J. (2013). Organic grain cropping systems to enhance ecosystem services. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 28(2), 145-159.

20 Ibid.

21 Badgley, C., Moghtader, J., Quintero, E., Zakem, E., Jahi Chappel, M., Aviles-Vazquez, K., . . . Perfecto, I. (2007). Organic agriculture and the global food supply. Renew. Agric. Food Syst., 22, 86–108.