Forest gardens increase the financial viability of farming enterprises in Sri Lanka

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dc.contributor.authorMelvani, Kamal
dc.contributor.authorMyers, Bronwyn
dc.contributor.authorPalaniandavan, Natarajan
dc.contributor.authorKaestli, Mirjam
dc.contributor.authorBristow, Mila
dc.contributor.authorCrase, Beth
dc.contributor.authorMoles, Jerry
dc.contributor.authorWilliams, Richard
dc.contributor.authorAbeygunawardena, Piyasena
dc.date.accessioned2023-02-03T00:50:29Z
dc.date.available2023-02-03T00:50:29Z
dc.date.issued2020-12
dc.description© The Author(s) 2020. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . The Version of Scholarly Record of this Article is published in Agroforestry Systems, 2020, available online at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10457-020-00564-9 . Keywords: forest gardens, farming enterprises; Asia; Sri Lanka.
dc.description.abstractForest gardens (FGs) are tree-dominant land uses in Sri Lankan farming enterprises. Although FG financial performance has been described, their overall contributions to farming enterprises remain unclear. This information is critical given the global quest for financially viable, sustainable agricultural models. Farming enterprises include On-farm (land uses: FGs, paddy, cash crops, plantations, swidden/chena plots, livestock), Off-farm (employment, trading, grants, welfare) and household components. Forest garden financial performance was compared with other enterprise components in short-(reference year, 2012–2013) and long-terms (beyond 2013). Financial data were collected for 85 farming enterprises in nine locations of the Intermediate zone using Household Income and Expenditure surveys and quantified using accounting procedures. In the short-term, 49% of On-farm income was the value of household consumption while 54% of On-farm expense the value of household contributions. FGs contributed 29% to food and fuelwood self-sufficiency, generated the highest profit, were the most financially efficient land use, and average FG profit (Current assets) was greater than enterprise profit. In the long-term, FGs had the highest number of timber and fuelwood species (biological assets). Their average net realisable value (NRV) was 90% of total NRV for biological assets from all land uses. Since FGs occupied 68% of the study area, their substantial biological and land assets had high Non-Current asset values. Average FG Non-Current asset values accounted for 79% of Total Equity and were farmers' core ownership interest in enterprises. Forest gardens increase the financial viability of farming enterprises. Their financial contributions warrant recognition in national economic performance assessments.
dc.description.sponsorshipThis research was supported by an Australian Postgraduate Award and operational funds provided by Charles Darwin University. Farmer respondents gave generously of their time and knowledge to this study. Special thanks to Associate Professor Natasha Stacey of Charles Darwin University, and Dr. Nigel Turvey. We extend our gratitude to the Future In Our Hands Organisation, Weligepola Womens Society, and Sri Lanka: Forest, Export Agriculture and Census and Statistics Departments for facilitating this study. Field assistance provided by Mr. Muditha Kularatne is gratefully acknowledged. This study would not have been possible without the technical support of Mrs. Damayanthi Kodikara, the late Mrs. Rohini Perera, and Ms. Dilukshi Theswa of the Neo Synthesis Research Centre, and Mr. Gopal Iyer. Sincere thanks also to Dr. C.R. Panabokke, Mr. Leopold Amerasinghe, Prof. Lisa McManus, Dr. Keith McGuiness, Dr. Muditha Heenkenda, Ms. Bernadette Royal, Ms. Jeevani Perumbuli, Mr. V.R. Perera, Ms. Parveen Dassanaike and Mr. Feisal Mansoor for their contributions.
dc.identifier.citationMelvani, K., Myers, B., Palaniandavan, N., Kaestli, M., Bristow, M., Crase, B., Moles, J., Williams, R., & Abeygunawardena, P. (2020). Forest gardens increase the financial viability of farming enterprises in Sri Lanka. Agroforestry Systems. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-020-00564-9
dc.identifier.otherhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-020-00564-9
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14096/250
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSpringer Nature
dc.titleForest gardens increase the financial viability of farming enterprises in Sri Lanka
dc.typeArticle

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