Ismini Ethridge
In order to better understand socio-economic and ecological advantages of home garden systems, especially under Sri Lanka’s changing policy landscape around organic farming/agro chemical bans, and how to effectively scale these systems/support farmers looking to transition to them, this research study will examine home garden systems in the village of Pitekele and ask the following questions: 1) How has socio-economic dependency on tree gardens changed over time, and especially under recent policy changes? 2) What are the socio-economic and ecological advantages of home garden systems in the changing policy landscape? 3) What kinds of policies can support the scaling of home garden systems to landowners looking to make the transition? My hope is that this research will contribute to necessary evidence of the value of traditional farming practices that prioritize biodiversity and local food sovereignty, so that governments and other relevant stakeholders in Sri Lanka can effectively design policy and market solutions to either support farmers already utilizing these practices or support a scaled transition to them.