Cooling the planet and Healing the mother earth in International Year of Family Farming!

In the early stages of present government, they fulfilled their one of a promises with providing Chemical Fertilizer, 50 Kg by 350 LKR which is subsidized more than 500%. Last week, I had to spend several hours and several Kms to travel to find 150 Kgs of Urea for my brother in law who is a farmer in Kalpitiya area. Unfortunately, I was not able to find it. The subsidized Urea was given 350 LKR per 50 Kg at the beginning and now, there is no Urea fertilizer to buy even with the price of 1200 per 50 Kgs. So, the paddy farmers are the biggest victims of this process. NAFSO is promoting organic fertilizer through it's sustainable agriculture program. This was a successful even the GOSL is promoting the Chemical fertilizers all around the country. But, now GOSL can not afford the subsidized chemical fertilizer any more due to financial crisis it face and not promote organic fertilizer saying those chemicals are hazardous and harmful to the health of people. Once environmental organizations and farmer organizations claimed that the kidney diseases are borne by the chemical fertilizers in Rajarata area, the experts in the authorities rejected those reports. But, now some of the health experts come to media and propagate to use organic fertilizers claiming kidney diseases. So, it is media and authorities decide how to manipulate people's mind set in a long run. However, it is our role to propagate the ideology of cooling the planet and healing the mother earth through sustainable agriculture practices in the International Year of Family Farming. Herman