Farmers in Sri Lanka Organize to Defend Rights Over Land and Natural Resources

In the face of encroaching corporate interests, farmers across Sri Lanka are banding together to protect their fundamental rights over the land and natural resources they depend on. A recent two-day workshop convened farmer representatives from every province to strategize on this critical issue.

The gathering, held at the Community Education Center in Malambe, brought together members of the Provincial Planning Forum alongside grassroots farmer leaders. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions about the mounting challenges threatening their livelihoods and communities.

“We are seeing capital rapidly expand its control over the lands that have sustained our people for generations,” said Amara, a farmer representative from the Central Province. “Developers, businesses, even the government – they are all trying to take what is rightfully ours.”

Key areas of concern included the privatization of waterways, the sale of arable farmland to outside investors, and the lack of farmer participation in policy decisions that impact natural resource management. Participants emphasized the need for stronger legal protections, as well as more inclusive governance structures that empower rural communities.

“This is not just about our personal livelihoods – it’s about preserving the very foundation of our culture and way of life,” said Kamal, a farmer leader from the North Central Province. “We must find ways to assert our inalienable rights over the land and water we have sustainably managed for centuries.”

As the workshop concluded, the farmers pledged to carry this movement forward, united in their determination to secure a more just and equitable future for Sri Lanka’s rural heartlands.