Rubber based smallholder farming systems in Sri Lanka : an analysis of development potentials | |
| Author | Jayasena, Waharaka Gamage |
| Call Number | AIT Diss. no. HS-94-05 |
| Subject(s) | Rubber--Research Agricultural systems--Sri Lanka |
| Note | A Dissertation Submitted in Partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, School of Engineering and Technology |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Dissertation ; no. HS-94-05 |
| Abstract | Rubber smallholding sector plays a vital role in the economy of Sri Lanka as an important source of employment and income for more than a half a million people. It is also important for foreign exchange earning as well as government revenue. Since the 1950s, several measures have been taken by the government to improve the living standard of rubber growing smallholders. Provision of replanting and new planting grants and processing facilities, establishment of state sponsored marketing channels, expansion of research, extension and training facilities and pricing and tax policies are among those measures. In spite of these government development policies and programmes, decline in replanting, production, productivity and quantity exported have become remarkable features of the rubber industry since the early 1970s. Although rubber is the major crop in this smallholder farming system, there are several other crop and livestock production components which are important for farmers in terms of land use, income and employment. Most of the studies undertaken in the past however, paid attention to the problems associated with rubber production. Very little attention has been paid to identifying development problems of rubber smallholders in the context of the overall farming system. The present study is an attempt to identify the development problems of rubber growing smallholders and the causes for those problems in the context of the overall farming system. An assessment has also been made on the effect and impact of government development policies and programmes which introduced in the past to upgrade the living standards of rubber smallholders. The analysis is mainly based on a sample survey undertaken in one of the major rubber growing districts, Kalutara, in southern Sri Lanka. Although the rubber growing smallholders are considered as a unique group of farmers for administrative purposes, differences among those farmers are considerably high in terms of resource ownership, resource utilization, employment and income. Cluster analysis was applied to identify different farmer groups (or clusters) with similar characteristics and four different farmer groups were identified as a base for the analysis. The study revealed that rubber is the major crop in the overall farming system in terms of land use, farm cash income and farm employment. However, the majority of farmers grow a wide variety of crops in addition to rubber, for both consumption needs as well as for cash income. Almost all cultivable land resources owned by these small farmers have been used for cultivation and settlement purposes. As a result of the population pressure farm holdings have become smaller and uneconomical. The rate of adoption of improved crop production and processing technologies was very low in most of the crops. Supply shortage, non availability of suitable/ appropriate technology, high cost, uneconomic land size, unprofitability, low level of farmers' awareness, physical and agro-climatic constraints were among the factors responsible for the slow rate of adoption of modern technologies. Low yield and productivity levels have become a remarkable feature in the case of rubber as well as other smallholder crops. This is mainly because of low level of management and adoption of modern production technology. The smallholder crop market is dominated by private sector traders. The state sector has failed to provide alternative marketing facilities to smallholders or to create a competitive position in the market. The collapse of the state sector marketing channels resulted in strengthening the role of the private sector in the smallholder crop market. Lower prices, down grading and, low weighing have become major problems associated with smallholder crop marketing. Smallholders could not overcome these problems mainly because of their weak bargaining power in the market. The profitability analysis showed that the majority of smallholders incurred losses from major crop enterprises. Returns to land, labour and capital were negative for most crop enterprises. Low productivity of crops, low quality of produce, low level of production and processing technology, uneconomic farm size and low farm gate prices were the major causes for losses or unprofitability of the existing farming system. The income generated from farming is barely sufficient to meet the cost of farming and most of the household expenses are met from non-farm income. The study has suggested several policy and research recommendations which would be useful to solve the present problems and constraints faced by smallholder rubber growers. Those recommendations also provide guidelines for increasing smallholder crop production and productivity levels as well as enhancing the living conditions of smallholders. |
| Year | 1994 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Dissertation ; no. HS-94-05 |
| Type | Dissertation |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology (SET) |
| Department | Department of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering (DCIE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Human Settlement (HS) |
| Chairperson(s) | Wickramanayake, B.W.E.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Demaine, Harvey;Boonjith Titapiwatanakun;Hilhorst, J.G.M.; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | United State Agency for International Development (USAID);Agrarian Research and Training Institute (ARTI).; |
| Degree | Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology |