The potential for agroforestry in Sri Lanka to prevent erosion and supply fuelwood has been highlighted in 2 articles in The Island, which follow a visit to the country by scientists from the World Agroforestry Centre.

Tea has been grown in the highlands of Nuwara Eliya since 1840 but is fast being replaced by potatoes, leeks, carrots and other temperate vegetables. The removal tea crops on steep slopes is causing erosion in the country’s largest water catchment; threatening hydropower and irrigation.

With Sri Lanka’s impressive track record in forest cover, rich agroforestry systems and tree-filled homegardens, Catherine Watson, head of program development at the World Agroforestry Centre writes “if any country can solve its land challenges, Sri Lanka can”.

"In Sri Lanka we cannot think about environmental protection without keeping the agricultural landscape healthy. We need diversification and domestication of trees." says DK Pushpakumara, who represents the World Agroforestry Centre in Sri Lanka.

Read the full story: Land change in Sri Lanka as famous tea loses out to vegetables

The Island also summarises a workshop held in Nuwara Eliya to discuss how to meet local firewood needs without impacting on cloud forests.

Post-graduate students from the University of Colombo who organized the workshop proposed 3 possible solutions: purchasing peeled cinnamon sticks or uprooted rubber trees from commercial plantations to meet immediate needs for firewood; planting fast growing species such as Gliricidia or Calliandra to supply firewood in the longer-term; and introducing the use of energy efficient Anagi stoves to decrease the demand for fuelwood.

Read the full story: Workshop to Address Deforestation of Cloud Forests