Flash floods and Their Devastating Impact on Agriculture
Author: Silila Sandawala Bulathsinhala
In recent years, flash floods have emerged as a significant threat to agricultural productivity, causing widespread devastation to crops, livestock, and the livelihoods of farmers. As climate change intensifies weather patterns, the frequency and severity of these sudden deluges are becoming increasingly alarming.
Sri Lanka receives rain from two monsoonal seasons, South West and North east. South west monsoon is active on May to September while North East is active on November to March. According to this typical weather pattern, Sri Lanka receives continues rain in those months. Also there is an inter monsoonal period, active on August and September which receives rain time to time. Flood conditions can occur when there is an increase in the normal rainfall pattern, but Flash floods are poles apart. Flash floods occur within a few minutes or hours of rapid rises of rainfall, where underlying ground cannot cope, or drain it away fast enough. It normally lasts for few hours or days.
A flood is not just a disaster, it is a reminder of nature’s power and resilience.In these days, Sri Lanka experience flash flood conditions in several district even though this is not the monsoon season. Not only in our island, flooding situations frequently happen in various parts of the world as well . Would you believe even the Sahara desert has been experiencing floods nowadays. Flash flooding are linked to sudden heavy rainfalls. Rising global temperature; caused by burning fossil fuels, is making rainfall more frequent and severe across most parts of the world. This enhances the occurrence of flash floods.
Immediate impact of flash floods on agriculture can be catastrophic!
Even though the rainfall pattern have had alter with the climate change, traditional Sri Lankan farmers still determine the time required for their cultivation according to the monsoon rainfall.
According to the traditional agriculture, “maha season” starts in October. Which is the long and highest harvesting season. Traditional farmers reveals to the daily news that, they have been started growing rice in early this October. But by now, the flooded paddy fields have been destroyed to some extent. Since, they have to replant rice before the end of October. This is not only affects food supply but also places immense financial strain on farmers who invest heavily in their crops. They reveal that, when experiencing floods, plant root systems are often damaged or uprooted, leading to crop failures or else crops turn weak and easily expose to diseases. Which further leads to devastate season’s harvest and economic loss. This is not only affects “Maha season” but also for the upcoming “yala season”. The loss of livestock, either through drowning or the spread of waterborne diseases, further compounds the economic impact on rural communities.
Strategies for Resilience
As the threat of flash floods looms larger, it is imperative for farmers and policymakers to adopt strategies that enhance resilience. This may include investing in flood-resistant crop varieties, consider traditional knowledge, implementing better drainage systems, , and creating comprehensive land-use plans that take into account the changing climate.
Shout out to Biotechnology
The development of flood-resistant crop varieties is a crucial response to the increasing threats posed by flash floods. Several effective flood-resistant varieties are currently being developed, focusing mainly on staple crops that are vital for food security. Here are some notable examples.
Flood-Tolerant Rice, Swarna Sub1 developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), this variety can withstand submergence for up to two weeks. It has shown resilience in areas prone to flooding, helping farmers maintain yields in challenging conditions. Also, Flood-tolerant maize varieties are being developed through both conventional breeding and genetic engineering. These crops focus on enhancing root architecture and stress response mechanisms, allowing them to survive inundation. As well, Drought and Flood-Resistant Wheat, soybean, potatoes have been developed by now in the world. It must be said that importing these seeds will incur significant costs. On the other hand, research reveals that some tropical crops such as banana (Musa sp.), mango (Mangifera indica), litchi (Litchi chinensis), and guava (Psidium guajava) already has flood tolerance capacity.
The development of these flood-resistant varieties involves traditional breeding techniques as well as modern biotechnological approaches, such as genetic engineering and marker-assisted selection. By enhancing the resilience of these crops, researchers aim to provide farmers with viable options for maintaining agricultural productivity in the face of increasing flooding and climate variability.
Value of traditional knowledge
Farmers reveal that, endemic rice varieties which means they found in only Sri Lanka on the planet, and nowhere else have fascinating adaptable capacities on flash floods. “Madathavalu, Gonabaru, Sudu murunga, Suvadal, Batakola samba, Dahanala, Kottiyaran” have shown sufficient yield, even flooded. They further noticed those varieties have high disease tolerance capacity. This thing has also confirmed by the environmentalists who researching on traditional rice varieties. They further noticed, due to the high demand of consumers, farmers are growing common varieties of rice. Therefore, this can be only change by changing the entire food culture, which does give benefits not only to farmers but also all the consumers on behalf of health and wellbeing, they explained.
Another reason for the damage of agriculture in flash flood conditions in Sri Lanka was the lack of proper drainage system. Well-designed drainage systems allow for effective discharge of water. However , a lack of empirical studies on the topic has impeded the determination of which drainage method might be the most effective in preventing or minimizing agriculture losses from flooding. It is no secret that there are problems with urban planning in Sri Lanka as this year’s flash floods mostly affected the suburbans.
A Call to Action
The rising tide of flash floods is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in our agricultural systems. As communities and nations face the reality of climate change, it is essential to prioritize agricultural resilience. By investing in research, infrastructure, and education, we can equip farmers to overcome adverse effects of climate change, ensuring food security and economic stability for coming generations.