Country Report For Sustainable Rural Development

Country ReportFor Sustainable Rural Development Mr. M.S. Premawansa Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Central Province Sri Lanka

Introduction of Sri Lanka • Sri Lanka is an inland • Land Area – 65,610 km2 • 65% is not available for Agriculture

Introduction of Sri Lanka • Sri Lanka can be divided in to 3 main rainfall zones • Wet Zone • Intermidate Zone • Dry Zone IM Zone Wet Zone

Introduction of Sri Lanka • The mean annual rainfall varies from about 750 mm in the dry areas to over 5000 mm in the very wet areas for the entire country. • The mean annual temperature of the country ranges from about 17 oC in the central highlands to 27.5 oC in the northern costal low lands.

General Information of the Country Related to The Rural Development 01

01. General Information of the Country Related to The Rural Development • The total population increased from 5 million in 1948 to 20 million by 2008. • The per capita land area has reduced to such a low level that it is nearly impossible to sustain the population on agriculture

01. General Information of the Country Related to The Rural Development • 85% belongs to rural area • 15% restricts to urban area. • most of the population is belonged to rural areas that means they are highly agrarian based.

Nearly 40% of the labour in the country finds employment in agriculture sector • above 1.8 million families are engaged in paddy cultivation alone. • In the dry zones, the lands are used for cultivation for homestead gardens of settlers. • The agricultural potentials of these soils are very high. • The low lands are used for paddy cultivations

In the rural sector, soil utilization plays major role in their socioeconomic development. • wet zone of Sri Lanka supports the export crops, tea, rubber, coconut, spices and orchard crops which are responsible for about one third of the present foreign exchange earnings.

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

More importantly, variation of input distribution among the rural and urban, rural poverty rates are highest in provinces of the highest proportion of agricultural house holds. • These disparities are also related with the rural development. • As a Example • The western province has the highest density of roads in the Country, while electricity, education are also in best condition comparing other provinces.

Percentage of the headcount indices by districts

Colombo district has the lowest poverty incidence • 6% of its population. • Low poverty incidence in the western province is largely due to the location of Colombo, where most of Sri Lankan's economic activity is concentrated accounting for half of the country's GDP.

37% of the population in the district Badulla and Monaragala are poor. • Therefore, best sustainable rural development programme is essential for the districts where the poorest people are engaged.

Government Interventions on Rural Development 02

During the past experience in Sri Lanka the Several steps had been taken by the Government to develop rural areas. • 1948 – 1970 • During this period Several rural tanks and Irrigation schemes were rehabilitated by the Government. • In dry zone number of colony named “GOVI JANAPADA” were established . • 1952 People Bank was established for the rural farmers aiming agricultural finances. • Food subsidies were given. • Department of Rural Development was established and Rural Development officers were attached to the AGA divisions of the country.

1948 – 1970 cond... • Rural Development Societies were formulated by the RDO. • Special projects, like Galoy valley, were started as a development project. • 1970 –to- 1977 • 1972 --- Agrarien Service Centers were established in every D.O. Divisions to develop rural agriculture. • 1972 --- “ THE LAND REFORM ACT ” was introduced. According to this act Government took over thousand of land from the private sector.

1970 –1977 cond... • Piece ofland (2 ha) was given to the poor people and landless people those who lived in rural area. • In 1973 a new institute was introduced to district level to implement rural development program. • 1976 --- “MAHAVELY” Project was started and this project supply water for paddy fields and other lowland which were in the dry zone.

1976 --- New Economy policy was Introduced liberalized Economy. • Trade liberation. • import duties reduced, export duties abolished. • Accelerated “ MAHAVELY ” Project. • Village Housing Scheme called "GAMUDAWA" was introduced. • Garments factories were established in rural area. • “ JANASAVIYA ” Subsides program was started, and “GRAMODAYA MANDALA” village society was also established in the all villages. The rural people joined those programmes and they worked as the labours forces.

1976 ---cond... • In the year 1994 The new program was began for the rural development. It is called “ SAMURDHI ”. Government appoint one officer for every village to implement this program. • In 2005 several projects were introduced by the government.

SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS • Maga Neguma - • Construction of villages roads. • Gama Neguma • Formulated “Jana Sabha” ,Every villages joined to this society and they discuss and select the needs of the village. • Agricultural Develpment programme.

03 Best Practices Concerning the Rural Development

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.

04 Problems and prospects in rural development in your country

Thank You

Country Report For Sustainable Rural Development