"At the root of this economic catastrophe is a bizarre overnight flip by Rajapaksa’s government on 29 April to ban the import of chemical fertilisers and any other agrochemicals to make the Indian Ocean nation the first in the world to practice organic-only agriculture. The result: prices of daily food items like sugar, rice and onions have soared over twice, with sugar even touching record Rs 200/kg"
Fortunately, Western environmentalists won't be affected - they can continue arguing about the need for a transition to organic-only farming while sipping their organic kombucha made by what is left of Sri-Lankan tea industry - which they can afford thanks to welfare created in their countries by cheap food from modern agriculture 🤷
@kravietz lets discredit them effeminate tea sipping western environmentalists by blaming them for any and all government actions towards sustainability (including the timing of measures and precise apportioning of pain)
Regarding Sri-Lanka, the ban on inorganic fertilizers and pesticides did not originate in the local government - it was result of long-term lobbying by environmental NGOs, most notably Vandana Shiva who was actually hired adviser of the government, and publicly celebrated the introduction of the ban:
https://navdanyainternational.org/sri-lankas-shift-towards-organic-farming/
You missed these paragraphs:
> ban importing chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides and to replace them with organic inputs and methods. This decision was supported by many, including the Global Alliance for Organic Districts
> According to her, Sri Lanka’s shift to become a 100% organic country means turning to an economy of permanence and prosperity for all beings
> Dr. Shiva said: “The reason I am glad about the approach of the Sri Lankan government
@openrisk The smooth transition comes apparently from one of the three speakers mentioned in the last paragraph. You don't really see them pulling their teeth over this topic, though.
This statement by Shiva is however the most idiotic:
> Dr. Shiva said: “The reason I am glad about the approach of the Sri Lankan government is because it connects three things, namely stopping dependency on imports
What really happened:
@kravietz from the link you shared: "albeit the remark that this huge step forward needs to be implemented according to a plan which ensures a smooth transition for farmers and the local economy"
I really can't tell (knowing next to nothing about Sri-Lankan politics and the context of these decisions). It may well be an idiotic misstep.