Integrated Pest and Crop Management in Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, approximately two-thirds of the population depend on the agricultural sector, and approximately 40 per cent of the population are engaged in farming. The rural poor account for about four-fifths of national poverty, with 24 per cent of the rural population living in absolute poverty, according to the World Bank (1995). ¹ Agricultural production, excluding the plantation sector, is dominated by rice, with significant production of vegetables and other field crops (OFC), particularly chillies, grams and pulses, in some areas.