The home garden project in Dambula and the surrounding area follows the holistic approach of sustainable organic horticulture and is intended to ensure the nutrition of the smallholder families.
There are a large number of villages in remote areas of Sri Lanka whose residents make their living mainly from agriculture. Many families own a small house and a bit of land around it. These small farmers engage in rain-fed cultivation during the rainy season. Their problem is how to deal with the extreme weather conditions: periods of heavy rain alternate with periods of extreme drought.
If the farming families are provided with sustainable knowledge about kitchen gardens, if they receive suitable vegetable seeds and fruit plants, learn to grow seeds themselves and produce their own compost fertilizer and use it effectively, they could be self-sufficient with their food requirements within a very short time – the harvest takes place after three to four months will.
Imparting knowledge about the introduction of integrated pest and disease control systems is a key prerequisite for the successful cultivation of organic vegetables – without the use of insecticides or other chemicals. Women are the backbone of Sri Lankan families as men often have to work outside of the village. Many women are interested in intensifying and improving their crop yields to better feed their families.
The concept was developed by Mr. Nanyakkara, who is now retired, as the responsible honorary leader for the Sri Lanka Verein Hamburg eV and has been successfully practiced in various villages in Sri Lanka for over ten years.
Project sponsor: Sri Lanka Association Hamburg eV
Project partner: Mr. Anslem Nanayakkara, Sri Lanka
Funding year: since 2021
Project No.: 131-21 A