This document provides an overview of a course on climate change and indigenous agricultural knowledge in Sri Lanka. It lists the course details and 14 topics that will be covered in the course, including fundamental features of Sri Lankan agriculture, the history of agricultural development, the impact of the Green Revolution, indigenous soil and irrigation practices, traditional forecasting and pest control, and the effects of climate change on indigenous agriculture. It also provides background on climate change and its impacts in Sri Lanka, such as increasing temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and the risks of more extreme weather events.

1. Indigenous Knowledge Systems
lesson 14 - Climate change and Indigenous Agricultural knowledge in
Sri Lanka(2 hrs)
Part-1
• Course Code: MS 5208 (02:30/00)
• Saturday 3.30 pm – 5.30 pm (Online)
• P.B. Dharmasena
• 0777 - 613234, 0717 – 613234
• dharmasenapb@ymail.com , dharmasenapb@gmail.com
• Links to publications:
https://independent.academia.edu/PunchiBandageDharmasena
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Punchi_Bandage_Dharmasena/cont
ributions
http://www.slideshare.net/DharmasenaPb
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_PFqwl0OqsrxH1wTm_jZeg

2. Indigenous Knowledge Systems
2. Fundamental features of Sri Lankan Agriculture; climate, Soil, Genetic
resources, agro biodiversity (2 hrs)
3. History and the culture of Sri Lankan agriculture sector development (1 hr)
4. Green revolution and its impact on Sri Lankan traditional agricultural
system (biodiversity deterioration, inorganic substances for pest and disease
controlling, development of hybrid varieties etc.) (1hr)
5. Indigenous soil management practices (2hrs)
6. Indigenous Irrigation systems (cascade system, water harvesting concepts)
(2hrs)
9. Traditional practices for, weather forecasting, plant nutrient supplementing,
pest and disease control and indigenous agricultural machines and tools (2hrs)
13. Cultural dimensions of Agricultural rituals in Sri Lanka (2 hrs)
14. Climate change and Indigenous Agricultural knowledge in Sri
Lanka(2 hrs)
Total: 14 hours)
List of lectures by P.B. Dharmasena

3. Why Green Revolution Stepped In?
• In traditional Sri Lanka only
environmental friendly farming was
practiced.
• No chemical fertilizers and pesticides
were used.
• Only traditional techniques where
natural pesticides and natural manures
obtained from plant and animal
products were used.
• During 1950s and 1960s, the ever
increasing population of the country
led to increase food requirement.
• The Government was forced to import
food grains from foreign countries.
• And also forced to increase the food
grain production of the country to
increase the food security .

4. Positive Side of Green Revolution
 Increased the Country‟s food production
 Attained self sufficiency
 „Food deficit‟ to „food surplus‟
 Export of food products
 Higher income for farmers

5. Do you know the difference between weather and climate?
Climate and Weather

6. Weather describes whatever is happening outdoors in a
given place at a given time. It is measured through wind,
temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, cloudiness,
and precipitation.
The Weather

7. Climate tells us what
weather is usually
like in a given place.
How would you
describe the climate
where you live?
The Climate
Climate is the average of weather over time
Deseart zone Arctic zone
Forest zone Moderate zone

8. What is climate variability ?
“Climate variability” refers to
changes in climate from one
year to another.
It can be caused by changes in
ocean conditions far away,
which can affect climate all
over the world (for ex: el
Niño)
Climate variability is natural and occurs on a
regular basis.

9. Climate change
involves both
natural changes
and changes
caused by people.
What is climate change ?
Climate change is the change in climate over a time period
from 10 to 100s of years.

10. What is Climate Change?
 Climate is the average weather at a given point and
time of year, over a long period (typically 30
years).
 We expect the weather to change a lot from day to
day, but we expect the climate to remain relatively
constant.
 If the climate doesn‟t remain constant, we call it
climate change.
 The key question is what is a significant change –
and this depends upon the underlying level of
climate variability
 Crucial to understand difference between climate
change and climate variability…

11. Normal distribution of a population

12. Observed changes in the climate

13. Change of climate in the world

14. Sea level is rising:
from ocean expansion and melting glaciers
Since 1993
Global sea level
has risen 37 mm
(1.46 inches)
• 60% from
expansion as
ocean
temperatures
rise,
• 40% from
melting glaciers

15. What does climate change mean
in Sri Lanka?
• The number of rainy days has decreased (except
Nuwara Eliya)*.
• The total annual rainfall has not decreased in many
areas*.
• Annual rainfall variability has increased*.
• Annual mean air temperature is increasing**.
• Extreme events (drought and flood) are possible.
* - Manawadu and Fernando, 2008.
** - Premalal, 2009, Chandrapala , 2009.

16. Annual rainfall variability in Badulla
-1000
-500
0
500
1000
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
year
RF
anomaly
in
mm
(from
1961-1990)
Annual rainfall variability in Ratnapure
-1000
-500
0
500
1000
1500
2000
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
year
RF
anomaly
in
mm
(from
1961-1990)

17. Fig. 1 September - December Rainfall (Mahailluppallama)
0
300
600
900
1200
1500
1800
1
9
0
5
1
9
1
0
1
9
1
5
1
9
2
0
1
9
2
5
1
9
3
0
1
9
3
5
1
9
4
0
1
9
4
5
1
9
5
0
1
9
5
5
1
9
6
0
1
9
6
5
1
9
7
0
1
9
7
5
1
9
8
0
1
9
8
5
1
9
9
0
1
9
9
5
2
0
0
0
Year
Rainfall
(mm)
High
Moderate
Low

19. 550
600
650
700
750
800
850
1920 1940 1960 1980 2000
Decreasing rainfall in major rainy season
Rainfall
at
75%
probability
(mm)
Year

20. Some human-induced environmental changes relevant to climate
 Changes in land use (e.g. farming, building cities)
 Storage and use of water (dams, reservoirs, irrigation)
 Combustion of fossil fuels
 Generation of heat
 Generation of particulate pollution (e.g., soot, smoke)
 Generation of gaseous pollution  particulates (e.g., sulfur
dioxide, nitrogen dioxide; get oxidized to form sulfate, nitrate)
 Generates carbon dioxide
 Generation of other greenhouse gases
Methane, Nitrous oxide, Chlorofluorocarbons, Ozone
(especially via biomass burning, landfills, rice paddies
agriculture, animal husbandry, fossil fuel use, leaky fuel
lines, and industry)
Changes the composition of the atmosphere
Most important are the gases with long lifetimes
Like CO2 > 100 years

21. Rising greenhouse gases are causing climate change and arid areas are
becoming drier while wet areas are becoming wetter.
Water management:-
dealing with how to save in times of excess for times of drought –
will be a major challenge in the future.

22. Food production
needs to double to
meet the needs of
an additional 3
billion people in the
next 30 years
Climate change is
projected to decrease
agricultural productivity in
the tropics and sub-
tropics

23. Tropical zone
Sub-tropical zone
Sub-tropical zone

24. Wood fuel is the only
source of fuel for one
third of the world’s
population
Wood demand will
double in next 50 years
Climate change is projected to
increase forest productivity,
but forest management will
become more difficult, due to
an increase in pests and fires

25. Water Services
One third of the world’s
population is now subject to
water scarcity
The population facing water
scarcity will more than double
over the next 30 years
Climate change is
projected to
decrease water
availability in
many arid and
semi-arid regions

26. Climate change will
exacerbate (sudden increase)
the loss of biodiversity
Estimated 10-15% of
the world’s species
could become extinct
over the next 30 years
Biodiversity underlies
all ecological goods and
services

27. The Challenge: Sustainable Management of an Ever-Changing
Planet

28. Food and Fiber Production
Provision of Clean and Sufficient Water
Maintenance of Biodiversity
Maintenance of Human Health
Storage and cycling of Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus
Agricultural
Lands
Coastal
Zones
Forest
Lands
Freshwater
Systems
Arid Lands
Grasslands
Climate change will affect the ability of ecological systems to
provide essential ecological goods and services