Sri Lanka: Action for Sustainable Agriculture

Movement for National Land and Agrarian Reform (MONLAR) along with various other allies organized an action in the North-Central Province, Sri Lanka.

different faiths come together for farmers rights

Close to a thousand people from the peasant organizations, civil organizations and religious leaders of different faiths, and a few politicians participated in the event. The event was held in the run up to the Provincial Council elections set for 08 SEP 2012. Weeks before, the Farmers’ Collective drafted a list of policy recommendations and handed them over to all election candidates of the two districts after discussion, through the peasant leaders of the respective districts. Candidates of all political parties contesting the elections were invited to the rally. 

Though not many local politicians appeared to stand in with the farmers’ demands, the Farmers’ Collective in their valiant effort to stand on their own footings and press for reform in local as well as national level policies to adopt sustainable peasant agriculture as the base of rural livelihood.
During the event, the following draft proposals were approved by the gathering as the demands of the farmers of the North-Central Province for campaigning in the future;

1. Quickly raise the price of paddy!
2. Cut off the interest of the loans 
3. Give pension for peasants 
4. Pay compensation of Rs. 30,000/= for each acre that was damaged 

The farmer organizations listed below endorsed the list of demands:-