When good intentions go bad – the art of wishful thinking.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/03/05/sri-lanka-organic-farming-crisis/

“Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa promised in his 2019 election campaign to transition the country’s farmers to organic agriculture over a period of 10 years”

The whole thing is a con, bad for the environment, bad for people, waste of resources

there never were disinformation agents peddling false claims in the hope of destabilising governments

sibeen said:

When good intentions go bad – the art of wishful thinking.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/03/05/sri-lanka-organic-farming-crisis/

> Against claims that organic methods can produce comparable yields to conventional farming.

I hope that the people who made those claims have been executed for treason.

> Last April, Rajapaksa’s government made good on that promise, imposing a nationwide ban on the importation and use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and ordering the country’s 2 million farmers to go organic.

> The result was brutal and swift. domestic rice production fell 20 percent in just the first six months. Sri Lanka, long self-sufficient in rice production, has been forced to import. The ban also devastated the nation’s tea crop … rubber, and coconut. Human costs have been even greater. Half a million people have sunk back into poverty. Soaring inflation and a rapidly depreciating currency.

mollwollfumble said:

sibeen said:

When good intentions go bad – the art of wishful thinking.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/03/05/sri-lanka-organic-farming-crisis/

> Against claims that organic methods can produce comparable yields to conventional farming.

I hope that the people who made those claims have been executed for treason.

> Last April, Rajapaksa’s government made good on that promise, imposing a nationwide ban on the importation and use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and ordering the country’s 2 million farmers to go organic.

> The result was brutal and swift. domestic rice production fell 20 percent in just the first six months. Sri Lanka, long self-sufficient in rice production, has been forced to import. The ban also devastated the nation’s tea crop … rubber, and coconut. Human costs have been even greater. Half a million people have sunk back into poverty. Soaring inflation and a rapidly depreciating currency.

The Australian Greens certainly promote organic farming. Should they be put up against a wall?

mollwollfumble said:

sibeen said:

When good intentions go bad – the art of wishful thinking.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/03/05/sri-lanka-organic-farming-crisis/

> Against claims that organic methods can produce comparable yields to conventional farming.

I hope that the people who made those claims have been executed for treason.

> Last April, Rajapaksa’s government made good on that promise, imposing a nationwide ban on the importation and use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and ordering the country’s 2 million farmers to go organic.

> The result was brutal and swift. domestic rice production fell 20 percent in just the first six months. Sri Lanka, long self-sufficient in rice production, has been forced to import. The ban also devastated the nation’s tea crop … rubber, and coconut. Human costs have been even greater. Half a million people have sunk back into poverty. Soaring inflation and a rapidly depreciating currency.

Reuters says the policy was withdrawn 4 months ago.
https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/sri-lanka-rows-back-organic-farming-goal-removes-ban-chemical-fertilisers-2021-11-24/

sibeen said:

mollwollfumble said:

sibeen said:

When good intentions go bad – the art of wishful thinking.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/03/05/sri-lanka-organic-farming-crisis/

> Against claims that organic methods can produce comparable yields to conventional farming.

I hope that the people who made those claims have been executed for treason.

> Last April, Rajapaksa’s government made good on that promise, imposing a nationwide ban on the importation and use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and ordering the country’s 2 million farmers to go organic.

> The result was brutal and swift. domestic rice production fell 20 percent in just the first six months. Sri Lanka, long self-sufficient in rice production, has been forced to import. The ban also devastated the nation’s tea crop … rubber, and coconut. Human costs have been even greater. Half a million people have sunk back into poverty. Soaring inflation and a rapidly depreciating currency.

The Australian Greens certainly promote organic farming. Should they be put up against a wall?

If they are promoting a total instant ban on all non-organic fertilisers, perhaps.

The Rev Dodgson said:

sibeen said:

mollwollfumble said:

> Against claims that organic methods can produce comparable yields to conventional farming.

I hope that the people who made those claims have been executed for treason.

> Last April, Rajapaksa’s government made good on that promise, imposing a nationwide ban on the importation and use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and ordering the country’s 2 million farmers to go organic.

> The result was brutal and swift. domestic rice production fell 20 percent in just the first six months. Sri Lanka, long self-sufficient in rice production, has been forced to import. The ban also devastated the nation’s tea crop … rubber, and coconut. Human costs have been even greater. Half a million people have sunk back into poverty. Soaring inflation and a rapidly depreciating currency.

The Australian Greens certainly promote organic farming. Should they be put up against a wall?

If they are promoting a total instant ban on all non-organic fertilisers, perhaps.

I don’t think they go quite that far :)