Conflicts in the Agriculture Sector in Sri Lanka

This document provides a non-exhaustive analysis of conflict triggers in the agricultural sector in Sri Lanka. It is intended for policymakers, development practitioners, and peacebuilders seeking to understand and address the root causes of conflict in this sector. The commentary offers evidence-based information and potential solutions to promote social cohesion.

Key Insights

Conflicts over access to natural resources

Land is the primary factor of production in agriculture, and access to land remains a major driver of politics in rural Sri Lanka. Land resources available for farming have been progressively reduced due to:

• Establishment of high-security zones and military camps on crown land and land acquired from civilians in Northern and Eastern Provinces.
• Declaration of forest and wildlife reserves on land publicly or privately used by small farmers.
• Land grabbing by those with political or military influence.

Another factor contributing to agrarian distress is the near collapse of the tank system of irrigation due to poor maintenance and silting. Politically-motivated haphazard efforts by the state agencies to renovate tanks have sometimes aggravated the situation also producing new forms of tension in dry zone agricultural communities.

Environmental conflict drivers

Environmental drivers of agrarian problems include:

• Human-elephant conflict
• Crop damage by wild animals
• Problems relating to the absence of common pastureland for livestock
• Crop damage by stray cattle
• Changes in rainfall patterns

These factors contribute to human wildlife conflicts, conflicts between farmer groups and state authorities responsible for wildlife protection and forest conservation as well as conflicts between different groups of civilians.

Market induced agrarian problems

The failure of small farmers to get a reasonable price for their produce is a chronic problem. Farmers often go into heavy debt and mortgage their limited assets in order to cover the cost of production. The market failures are partly due to wrong state policies such as importing the same produce at cheaper prices at the time local producers supply their produce to the market. This has resulted in disputes between farmers and middlemen as well as tension between farmers and state authorities.

State policies and agrarian problems

Wrong state policies have contributed to agrarian problems. These policies cover land policies, environmental policies, trade policies, and development policies. The non-consultative nature of state policy making reached a climax with the fertilizer and agrochemical ban introduced in 2022, leading to a near collapse of rural agriculture and agrarian distress which partially contributed to social and political protests in 2022.

Key Statistics & Data

• Type of key issues related to Agriculture (Total number cases - 82)
  • Unjust actions under the Vihara and Devalagam Ordinance: 18
  • Issues related to fertilizer: 14
  • Environment/land pollution related matter: 11
  • Land encroachment: 10
  • Declaring private land for a purpose of development: 8
• Parties involved in the issue connected to conflicting situation – by Ethnicity
  • Sinhala Vs Tamil: 11
  • Sinhala Vs Muslim: 1
  • Sinhala Vs Sinhala: 4
  • Not Relevant: 66
• Parties involved in the issue connected to conflicting situation – by Religion
  • Buddhist Vs Islam: 1
  • Buddhist Vs Buddhist: 3
  • Buddhist Vs Hindu: 11
  • Not Relevant: 67
• Parties involved in the issue connected to conflicting situation – by Other Parties
  • Not Relevant: 31
  • Close affiliates/supporters of politicians: 8
  • Smugglers (illegal businesses like sand mining/soil mining/wood/drugs): 2
  • Domestic companies/local businessmen: 41
• Main Conflict Triggers caused escalations of social tensions
  • Information circulated by social media: 1
  • Unjust administrative decisions: 56
  • Interferences/conduct of security forces: 25
• Involvement of government agencies in causing/perpetuating the issue related to the conflict situation?
  • No: 63
  • Yes: 19

Methodology

This analysis is based on data shared by a group of peacebuilders with improved capacity to ensure early identification of conflict triggers with regard to socio-economic and political issues. Key issues connected to conflicting situations, parties involved, type of social tensions and key conflict triggers have been identified by the peacebuilders across the country in short period using a structured questionnaire.

Implications and Conclusions

Several tentative conclusions can be drawn from the findings of these reports:

1. The agricultural sector in Sri Lanka is full of conflict triggers emanating from competition over natural resources, environmental factors, market dynamics and problematic state policies.
2. Ex parte decision making on the part of the state agencies without consultation with the relevant stakeholders including farmers in matters such as development, land acquisition and distribution, environmental conservation and imports must be identified as an important contributor to conflict dynamics in the country.
3. There is a tendency to reduce all problems including agrarian problems to ethnic politics in the light of political and ideological developments in the country, which is problematic as ethnic issues are often entangled with various other issues.
4. Agrarian problems in Sri Lanka are fast reaching crisis proportions in the former war zone as well as elsewhere in Sri Lanka and addressing them in an effective and sustainable manner is essential for both development and peace building in Sri Lanka.