HOW SUSTAINABLE IS ORGANIC FARMING? : A COMPARISON OF ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL PADDY FARMING IN WESTERN PROVINCE, SRI LANKA

Abstract

Sustainable agriculture is one of the greatest challenges that the world is facing today. Sustainability implies that farming practices not only enhance food security, but that its environmental, socio-economic and human health impacts are minimized. To minimize adverse effects of conventional farming methods to the environment, the organic farming is considered as one of the best alternatives. In this study, the sustainability of paddy cultivation was compared in conventional and organic cultivations in Colombo district in the Yala season in 2016. This study focused on basic growth and yield parameters of selected paddy varieties under conventional and organic farming settings. Three plots from each setting were selected. The basic growth parameters such as root shoot biomass ratio, plant height, number of seeds per panicle and number of tillers per plant were investigated. As yield parameters, weight of 100 grains and yield per square meter were measured. When compared with the standard values for paddy, root shoot ratio, plant height, number of seeds per panicle and number of tillers per plant were acceptable. Weight of 100 grains and yield per square meter were less than the standards in both settings and the reduction of yield was much larger in the organic cultivation. Given the organic farming is not economically attractive, it was evident that most farmers fail to adhere to a “fully organic” framing practice. The results of this study emphasize the need for more investigations as well as increased attention of and support from the policy makers to promote sustainable organic farming.