Agriculture and Rural Development in Sri Lanka

Agriculture has been the centre of gravity of economic, social, political , and cultural activities of the Sri Lankan society from time immemorial. It used to evolve for centuries, while maintaining its own delicate equilibrium of natural environment and human activities before the invasion of commercial forces during the colonial period. Still agriculture and rural sectors dominate in many areas of the economy although historical delicate balance is no longer there. This book is published in honour of Dr. S.M.P. Senanayake, former Dean of the Faculty of Arts and former Head of the Department of Economics of the University of Colombo on his retirement from the University and other public sector organizations after more than three decades of exemplary service. The theme of the volume, agriculture and rural development in Sri Lanka, has been selected in keeping with his research interests and contributions to economics literature. Both agriculture and rural sectors in Sri Lanka are now passing through a turbulent period due to some internally generated and externally imposed factors. His intellectual contribution and vision on these two sectors are extremely relevant now than ever before to address a host of issues in agriculture and rural sector of the economy.