Conclusions
The rice we eat is contaminated with various chemicals and heavy metals introduced to farmlands by the use of numerous agrochemicals and contaminated water for irrigation. This could be one of the reasons for the various organ malfunctions and cancers burdening the population of the country. There is an abundance of indigenous knowledge used by local farmers in cultivation. Sri Lankan farmers used eco-friendly methods of cultivation which were developed based on their experiences and the scientific basis of these practices has now been proven by various studies. At present, although most Sri Lankan farmers are dependent on agrochemicals introduced by the western world, the agricultural sectors of those countries are attempting to revert to organic cultivation techniques used by ancestors since time immemorial. This shift should be regarded as a wake-up call by farmers and authorities to adopt sustainable agricultural practices in order to safeguard the environment as well as human health.
References