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Sri Lanka Famine

 About two years ago, the new government of Sri Lanka decided that it would lead the green revolution and forbid the use, across the country of all pesticides in agriculture. Farmers protested, demonstrated but the government held firm, and since 2020 no pesticides have been imported into Sri Lanka.

Until 2021 farmers used what pesticides they had left, but in 2022 the vast majority of Sri Lanka's farmers failed to produce food in the quantities they had in the past because their harvest was destroyed by pests.  Sri Lanka began importing food.  In addition, nearly 80% of all farmers are now mired in poverty because they borrowed to buy seeds and now that the harvest has failed they cannot repay their loans.  In addition, food price inflation has been near 50% over the past year, the result of high global prices but also a weaker domestic currency.

A few weeks ago the government fell, due to massive popular protests.  Now a new government is trying to form a coalition, but the country is out of money, out of food and its farmers are largely bankrupt.

Interesting times!


P.S. Just an observation.  As they say, Hell is paved with good intentions!

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