Opinion
Drought, El Nino, agriculture and food security: What Sri Lanka can do
By Prof. W.A.J.M. De Costa
Senior Professor and Chair of Crop Science,
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya
At present, Sri Lanka is going through a prolonged rain-free period. Several parts of the country are experiencing an unprecedent drought with the Udawalawe reservoir running almost dry for the first time in fifty years. It is reported that water levels of most tanks and reservoirs are below 50% of their capacity. Agriculture, being an activity of extreme sensitivity to the variations in climate, has taken a severe hit. We see images of dried and scorched crops and the inevitable pleadings and protests from the farmers demanding water from reservoirs be released to their fields along with demands for compensation for crop losses. While the climatic variations are beyond our control, the question arises as to whether we could have anticipated the drought and put measures in place to better manage its potential impacts on Agriculture. An analysis of these issues, while coming too late to alleviate the present crisis, will be useful for the future as scientific evidence indicates that this scenario is likely to be repeated with greater frequency in the foreseeable future.
What has caused drought, and could it have been predicted?
The general rainfall pattern in Sri Lanka dictates that a drought could be expected during the period from July to September in the dry- and intermediate climate zones, which broadly include all parts of the country except its southwest and the western slope of the Central Highlands. The South-West Monsoon which brings rainfall during the period from May to September to the wet zone in the southwest of Sri Lanka does not go beyond the western slope of the Central Highlands, which act as a physical barrier for extending the rains to the rest of Sri Lanka.
Therefore, crop fields in the dry- and intermediate zones receive very limited rainfall at the beginning of the yala season in the second half of April and the first half of May. Thereafter, there is no assured and consistent rainfall generating process for these climatic zones until the Second Inter-Monsoon which sets in from October onwards, largely as a result of tropical atmospheric depressions in the region around the Bay of Bengal. Therefore, the present drought cannot be considered as entirely unexpected.
What has happened in Sri Lanka is that the rainfree period that generally occurs during the July-September period in the dry- and intermediate zones has intensified into a severe drought. Even though the full rainfall data are not yet available, it is highly likely that rainfall from the South-West Monsoon has been below-average in 2023. This has meant that even the limited amount of rainfall that normally occurs at the beginning of the yala season was decreased, thus increasing the possibility of water shortage for crops at an earlier point in the current season than in a season of normal rainfall.
Lower rainfall from the South-West Monsoon in the wet zone means less water in the major reservoirs and tanks in the dry zone that are fed by the rivers originating from the Central Highlands (e.g. Mahaweli, Walawe) and the reservoirs located in the wet zone (e.g. Kotmale, Victoria).
Intensification of the ‘normally expected’ drought during this time of the year has been caused predominantly by the atmospheric phenomenon known as the ‘El Niño’, which had been predicted to occur in the middle of 2023, based on the climatic patterns observed in 2021-22 and the early months of 2023. El Niño is a process triggered by a weakening of the atmospheric air circulation (i.e. wind) patterns above the Pacific Ocean around the equator. Such a weakening of atmospheric circulation patterns disrupts the normal pattern of ocean evaporation, cloud formation and rainfall.
This disruption of wind patterns brings droughts to Australia, tropical East Asia (e.g. Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka etc.) and some parts of South America (e.g. Brazil) while bringing heavy rainfall and floods in some parts of South America (e.g. Peru). El Niño events usually happen at a frequency of 1-3 times every decade.
The opposite cycle of El Niño, called La Niña, also happens at an approximately similar frequency where the wind patterns are unusually strengthened bringing excess rainfall to tropical Australasia and causing droughts in tropical South America. During an El Niño event, global air temperature increases above average whereas the opposite happens during a La Niña event. During an El Niño year, sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific near South America (e.g. Peru) increase above average, and thereby provides an early warning signal. Such an increase had been observed during the first few months of 2023 and by April, climate scientists had predicted an El Niño during the middle of 2023.
Furthermore, they had warned that the El Niño in 2023 could be unusually strong (called a ‘Super El Niño’) because the last three years (2019-22) had seen a rare continuous run of La Niña, thus raising the possibility of it being followed by an El Niño. This information and early warnings should have been available to Sri Lanka’s Department of Meteorology who should have alerted the relevant authorities and stakeholders such as the officials of the Ministries of Agriculture, Power and Energy and the farmers.
What measures could be taken to protect Agriculture from the impacts of drought?
Early warning, preparation and making adjustments in advance are key to minimising the impacts of a drought on Agriculture as options are very limited once a drought sets in.
Early warning: Why was it not there?
Early warnings on impeding droughts can be issued based on analyses of the current and past meteorological data from land, atmosphere, and ocean. Large volumes of data from several sources are fed to models that describe the behaviour of climate and weather based on the laws of physics. These models, which are run on high-performance supercomputers, make predictions of the future weather patterns. Different global agencies such as the US National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) and the UK Met Office run these models on a global scale, and their predictions are made available to the relevant agencies of countries which do not have the capacity to develop and operate their own models (e.g. Sri Lankan Department of Meteorology).
Prediction of weather is a complex and tricky exercise, where there is a possibility of getting the predictions wrong. The highly chaotic nature of the atmosphere and incomplete understanding of the processes means that none of the predictions are definitive. Only the probability of a certain weather event occurring within a given period can be given and often different models provide different probabilities for the same event. An unforeseen or previously unaccounted atmospheric disturbance can cause a sudden and large-scale impact on the entire weather system so that predictions given only a few days ago may not come true.
A small country such as Sri Lanka has the added complexity that it is represented by only a small portion of the global grid. The climate models are run separately and concurrently for small segments of the earth (called ‘grid cells’) and overall predictions are made by combining the model predictions for each individual cell. Sri Lanka falls within a small number of grid cells so that the predictions from these global scale climatic models are not specific enough to be of use in making decisions about important weather-dependent activities such as Agriculture. This is especially true when we take in to account the fact that Sri Lanka is divided in to 46 different agroecological regions based on the diverse combinations of climate and soil conditions that are found within such a small country.
Overcoming the above methodological difficulties in the prediction of weather (short-term variations) and climate (longer-term variations), especially given the limited resources available to the Sri Lankan Department of Meteorology, is challenging, but not impossible. Greater vigilance and monitoring of the forecasts, especially the medium- to long-range forecasts, from global weather and climate models put out by the global agencies could help the Sri Lankan meteorologists to look for similar patterns in the local weather data as they come in. Weather and climate forecasting involves the expertise, local knowledge and judgement of the meteorologists to translate model outputs into practically usable forecasts.
Conversion of larger scale model outputs to smaller scale local areas (called ‘down-scaling’) requires research which develops relationships between atmospheric processes and climatic factors at different scales. For Sri Lanka, a network of weather stations with sufficient geographical coverage to take into account the 46 different agroecological regions is essential to generate the data that will enable the local meteorologists to develop meaningful down-scaling procedures and make sufficiently accurate predictions.
The current number of weather stations which measure all required climatic factors in Sri Lanka is woefully inadequate and little initiative has been taken in recent times to develop and expand capacity in this vital area despite the obvious threat of climate change. Agencies such as the UK Met Office and NOAA are research hubs staffed with a large number of climate scientists and have close links to the university system of those countries and beyond.
In contrast, very little research takes place in the Sri Lankan Department of Meteorology and there are no formal links to the university system. Urgent initiatives are required to address these shortcomings in Sri Lanka’s capacity to forecast weather and climate especially given the clear and present danger posed by climate extremes such as droughts which are predicted to increase in their frequency as a result of climate change.
Preparation and making adjustments: Were they done?
Agriculture, especially the cultivation of crops, is an activity which is extremely sensitive to climatic conditions that the crops would experience in a given season. In Sri Lanka, the climate sensitivity of its crop production is further increased by the fact that rice, which provides its staple food and on which its national food security depends, is a crop which has an unusually high-water requirement in comparison to other major staple food crops such as wheat and maize. As such, adjustment of the cropping practices in accordance with the expected rainfall and water supply is essential for the cultivated crops to survive an expected drought until they are harvested.
A general principle that is adopted in drought-prone regions all over the world is to grow short-duration crops which are able to complete their cropping cycle before the drought intensifies (known as ‘drought escape’). This is especially relevant in the yala season in the dry- and intermediate zones of Sri Lanka because the drought that develops from mid-July onwards persists until October (and therefore called ‘terminal drought’). For such seasons, the Rice Research and Development Institute (RRDI) of the Sri Lankan Department of Agriculture has developed rice varieties which provide a harvest in 2 ½ – 3 months (e.g. Bg251, Bg314). However, it is clear that the majority of farmers have not opted for these varieties, but have instead cultivated their preferred varieties, which are of longer duration and therefore got caught in the drought before they mature.
Irrespective of the duration of the variety, timely commencement of cultivation with the onset of the limited rainfall in late-April and May is crucial for the crops to escape the drought that develops later in the season. Unfortunately, Sri Lankan farmers do not have a good track record in this regard. If rice crops had been established by the end of April with land preparation either before or after the Sinhala and Hindu New Year, even a three-month rice variety would have been harvested by the end of July.
In such crops, the need for water would have decreased from mid-July onwards because the water requirement of rice decreases during its final grain filling period. Therefore, while there are no records to verify this, there is a high likelihood that rice crops that have got caught in the drought are late-planted crops and most likely of longer duration (i.e. 3 ½ to 4 months) varieties.
There are reports that during the time when water was initially released from the Uda Walawa reservoir, a majority of the farmers had not begun their cultivation. Uncertainty about the supply of fertilizer may have played a part in farmers delaying commencement of cultivation, but it has proven to be a costly delay.
Selection of which crops to cultivate is a crucial decision prior to a season where a drought could be expected. In this regard, the recommendation from the Department of Agriculture is to cultivate short-duration rice only in fields where there is a reasonably-assured supply of water and to grow other field crops such as short-duration legumes (e.g. mung bean, cow pea, soya bean etc.) in fields where there is a likelihood of a water shortage. However, there is an inherent reluctance on the part of the farmers to follow this recommendation.
The preference is to cultivate rice irrespective of whether sufficient water would be available or not while ignoring any warnings from the Departments of Meteorology and Agriculture. There is a fair percentage of Sri Lanka farmers who practice rotation of crops, which has many agronomic advantages such as restoring soil fertility and breaking the pest- and disease cycles. However, changes in the choice of crops, especially at short notice, in response to an early warning of possible extreme climatic events such as drought, is not a practice that is ingrained in the psyche of the average Sri Lankan farmer.
Using the limited amount of available water efficiently, with minimum wastage, is essential to avoid crop failure during a drought-affected season. The predominant method of irrigation employed by Sri Lankan farmers involves saturating the soil by applying water along the surface. In rice cultivation, this is taken even further by maintaining a layer of standing water. These methods of water management require large quantities of water along with substantial wastage due to evaporation, lateral seepage and deep drainage (i.e. water draining down below the crop’s root zone).
Research has shown that in many crops, including rice, the soil need not be saturated throughout the crop’s duration for it to have sufficient water for its growth. In rice, there are alternative water management methods such as ‘alternative wetting and drying’ and ‘saturated soil culture’, which do not require standing water to be maintained at all times, and therefore require less water. These alternative methods require more precise management of their crops by the farmers. Unfortunately, they have not gained much acceptance by the farmers despite the efforts of researchers at the RRDI.
Role of governmental agencies: Did they do their job?
The governmental agencies, run by the taxpayer’s money and the indirect tax paid by the general public, have an important contribution to make to enable Sri Lankan Agriculture to withstand climate-related shocks such as the current drought, the frequency of which is predicted to amplify with climate change. While the Department of Meteorology needs to step up in providing forecasts with greater precision and credibility, the Department of Agriculture (DoA) of the central government and the Provincial Departments of Agriculture need a major shake-up of their programs and activities to build resilience in the food production system and among the farmer community to better manage similar drought episodes in the future.
While the research arm of the DoA should continue its efforts to develop crop varieties with greater genetic tolerance to drought, the extension arms of the DoA and the Provincial DoAs have a huge role to play in changing famer perceptions and convincing them to adopt cultivation strategies and practices that will increase the resilience of their farming systems against drought.
All these governmental agencies are hugely under-staffed and under-resourced with very low levels of motivation for innovation while being steeped in routine practices. As a result, these agencies and their officials have lost credibility in the eyes of the farmers so that their recommendations are not taken seriously and adopted. Therefore, there is a need to restore credibility and confidence among the farming community by more focused proactive activities with a clear vision and better planning.
The current crisis clearly demonstrated that there is no proper coordination between the relevant governmental agencies when addressing the multiple challenges faced during a drought. It is important that mechanisms are put in place for a coordinated response during a drought where all parties work with better understanding and flexibility while keeping the greater goals of protecting national food security, farmer livelihoods and energy security in focus.
Role of farmers: Are they willing to adapt and change?
Farmers are key stakeholders in Sri Lanka’s efforts to ensure national food security and as such are highly influential in shaping the interventions and policy initiatives to meet the challenges posed by drought and other climate-related events that affect Agriculture. While the government has the responsibility of ensuring the availability of key resources for farming such as fertilizer, water, seeds, fuel etc., the farmers, in turn, should have the willingness to adapt and change their age-old cultivation practices and perceptions to follow recommendations that are issued after careful research and field validation. A paradigm shift is needed on the part of the farmers as well.
by Dr B.J.C.Perera
MBBS(Cey), DCH(Cey), DCH(Eng), MD(Paed), MRCP(UK), FRCP(Edin),
FRCP(Lon), FRCPCH(UK), FSLCPaed, FCCP, Hony FRCPCH(UK), Hony. FCGP(SL)
Specialist Consultant Paediatrician and Honorary Senior Fellow,
Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Joint Editor, Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health
In an age of unprecedented global development, technological advancements, universal connectivity, and improvements in living standards in many areas of the world, it is a very dark irony that child food poverty remains a pressing issue. UNICEF defines child food poverty as children’s inability to access and consume a nutritious and diverse diet in early childhood. Despite the planet Earth’s undisputed capacity to produce enough food to nourish everyone, millions of children still go hungry each day. We desperately need to explore the multifaceted deleterious effects of child food poverty, on physical health, cognitive development, emotional well-being, and societal impacts and then try to formulate a road map to alleviate its deleterious effects.
Every day, right across the world, millions of parents and families are struggling to provide nutritious and diverse foods that young children desperately need to reach their full potential. Growing inequities, conflict, and climate crises, combined with rising food prices, the overabundance of unhealthy foods, harmful food marketing strategies and poor child-feeding practices, are condemning millions of children to child food poverty.
In a communique dated 06th June 2024, UNICEF reports that globally, 1 in 4 children; approximately 181 million under the age of five, live in severe child food poverty, defined as consuming at most, two of eight food groups in early childhood. These children are up to 50 per cent more likely to suffer from life-threatening malnutrition. Child Food Poverty: Nutrition Deprivation in Early Childhood – the third issue of UNICEF’s flagship Child Nutrition Report – highlights that millions of young children are unable to access and consume the nutritious and diverse diets that are essential for their growth and development in early childhood and beyond.
It is highlighted in the report that four out of five children experiencing severe child food poverty are fed only breastmilk or just some other milk and/or a starchy staple, such as maize, rice or wheat. Less than 10 per cent of these children are fed fruits and vegetables and less than 5 per cent are fed nutrient-dense foods such as eggs, fish, poultry, or meat. These are horrendous statistics that should pull at the heartstrings of the discerning populace of this world.
The report also identifies the drivers of child food poverty. Strikingly, though 46 per cent of all cases of severe child food poverty are among poor households where income poverty is likely to be a major driver, 54 per cent live in relatively wealthier households, among whom poor food environments and feeding practices are the main drivers of food poverty in early childhood.
One of the most immediate and visible effects of child food poverty is its detrimental impact on physical health. Malnutrition, which can result from both insufficient calorie intake and lack of essential nutrients, is a prevalent consequence. Chronic undernourishment during formative years leads to stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and increased susceptibility to infections and diseases. Children who do not receive adequate nutrition are more likely to suffer from conditions such as anaemia, rickets, and developmental delays.
Moreover, the lack of proper nutrition can have long-term health consequences. Malnourished children are at a higher risk of developing chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity later in life. The paradox of child food poverty is that it can lead to both undernutrition and overnutrition, with children in food-insecure households often consuming calorie-dense but nutrient-poor foods due to economic constraints. This dietary pattern increases the risk of obesity, creating a vicious cycle of poor health outcomes.
The impacts of child food poverty extend beyond physical health, severely affecting cognitive development and educational attainment. Adequate nutrition is crucial for brain development, particularly in the early years of life. Malnutrition can impair cognitive functions such as attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Studies have consistently shown that malnourished children perform worse academically compared to their well-nourished peers. Inadequate nutrition during early childhood can lead to reduced school readiness and lower IQ scores. These children often struggle to concentrate in school, miss more days due to illness, and have lower overall academic performance. This educational disadvantage perpetuates the cycle of poverty, as lower educational attainment reduces future employment opportunities and earning potential.
The emotional and psychological effects of child food poverty are profound and are often overlooked. Food insecurity creates a constant state of stress and anxiety for both children and their families. The uncertainty of not knowing when or where the next meal will come from can lead to feelings of helplessness and despair. Children in food-insecure households are more likely to experience behavioural problems, including hyperactivity, aggression, and withdrawal. The stigma associated with poverty and hunger can further exacerbate these emotional challenges. Children who experience food poverty may feel shame and embarrassment, leading to social isolation and reduced self-esteem. This psychological toll can have lasting effects, contributing to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety in adolescence and adulthood.
Child food poverty also perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality. Children who grow up in food-insecure households are more likely to remain in poverty as adults, continuing the intergenerational transmission of disadvantage. This cycle of poverty exacerbates social disparities, contributing to increased crime rates, reduced social cohesion, and greater reliance on social welfare programmes. The repercussions of child food poverty ripple through society, creating economic and social challenges that affect everyone. The healthcare costs associated with treating malnutrition-related illnesses and chronic diseases are substantial. Additionally, the educational deficits linked to child food poverty result in a less skilled workforce, which hampers economic growth and productivity.
Addressing child food poverty requires a multi-faceted approach that tackles both immediate needs and underlying causes. Policy interventions are crucial in ensuring that all children have access to adequate nutrition. This can include expanding social safety nets, such as food assistance programmes and school meal initiatives, as well as targeted manoeuvres to reach more vulnerable families. Ensuring that these programmes are adequately funded and effectively implemented is essential for their success.
In addition to direct food assistance, broader economic and social policies are needed to address the root causes of poverty. This includes efforts to increase household incomes through living wage policies, job training programs, and economic development initiatives. Supporting families with affordable childcare, healthcare, and housing can also alleviate some of the financial pressures that contribute to food insecurity.
Community-based initiatives play a vital role in combating child food poverty. Local food banks, community gardens, and nutrition education programmes can help provide immediate relief and promote long-term food security. Collaborative efforts between government, non-profits, and the private sector are necessary to create sustainable solutions.
Child food poverty is a profound and inescapable issue with far-reaching consequences. Its deleterious effects on physical health, cognitive development, emotional well-being, and societal stability underscore the urgent need for comprehensive action. As we strive for a more equitable and just world, addressing child food poverty must be a priority. By ensuring that all children have access to adequate nutrition, we can lay the foundation for a healthier, more prosperous future for individuals and society as a whole. The fight against child food poverty is not just a moral imperative but an investment in our collective future. Healthy, well-nourished children are more likely to grow into productive, contributing members of society. The benefits of addressing this issue extend beyond individual well-being, enhancing economic stability and social harmony. It is incumbent upon us all to recognize and act upon the understanding that every child deserves the right to adequate nutrition and the opportunity to thrive.
Despite all of these existent challenges, it is very definitely possible to end child food poverty. The world needs targeted interventions to transform food, health, and social protection systems, and also take steps to strengthen data systems to track progress in reducing child food poverty. All these manoeuvres must comprise a concerted effort towards making nutritious and diverse diets accessible and affordable to all. We need to call for child food poverty reduction to be recognized as a metric of success towards achieving global and national nutrition and development goals.
Material from UNICEF reports and AI assistance are acknowledged.
By Dr Upul Wijayawardhana
The colossal failure of not a single opinion poll predicting accurately the result of the Indian parliamentary election, the greatest exercise in democracy in the world, raises the question whether the importance of opinion polls is vastly exaggerated. During elections two types of opinion polls are conducted; one based on intentions to vote, published during or before the campaign, often being not very accurate as these are subject to many variables but exit polls, done after the voting where a sample tally of how the voters actually voted, are mostly accurate. However, of the 15 exit polls published soon after all the votes were cast in the massive Indian election, 13 vastly overpredicted the number of seats Modi’s BJP led coalition NDA would obtain, some giving a figure as high as 400, the number Modi claimed he is aiming for. The other two polls grossly underestimated predicting a hung parliament. The actual result is that NDA passed the threshold of 272 comfortably, there being no landslide. BJP by itself was not able to cross the threshold, a significant setback for an overconfident Mody! Whether this would result in less excesses on the part of Modi, like Muslim-bashing, remains to be seen. Anyway, the statement issued by BJP that they would be investigating the reasons for failure rather than blaming the process speaks very highly of the maturity of the democratic process in India.
I was intrigued by this failure of opinion polls as this differs dramatically from opinion polls in the UK. I never failed to watch ‘Election night specials’ on BBC; as the Big Ben strikes ‘ten’ (In the UK polls close at 10pm} the anchor comes out with “Exit polls predict that …” and the actual outcome is often almost as predicted. However, many a time opinion polls conducted during the campaign have got the predictions wrong. There are many explanations for this.
An opinion poll is defined as a research survey of public opinion from a particular sample, the origin of which can be traced back to the 1824 US presidential election, when two local newspapers in North Carolina and Delaware predicted the victory of Andrew Jackson but the sample was local. First national survey was done in 1916 by the magazine, Literary Digest, partly for circulation-raising, by mailing millions of postcards and counting the returns. Of course, this was not very scientific though it accurately predicted the election of Woodrow Wilson.
Since then, opinion polls have grown in extent and complexity with scientific methodology improving the outcome of predictions not only in elections but also in market research. As a result, some of these organisations have become big businesses. For instance, YouGov, an internet-based organisation co-founded by the Iraqi-born British politician Nadim Zahawi, based in London had a revenue of 258 million GBP in 2023.
In Sri Lanka, opinion polls seem to be conducted by only one organisation which, by itself, is a disadvantage, as pooled data from surveys conducted by many are more likely to reflect the true situation. Irrespective of the degree of accuracy, politicians seem to be dependent on the available data which lend explanations to the behaviour of some.
The Institute for Health Policy’s (IHP) Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey has been tracking the voting intentions for the likely candidates for the Presidential election. At one stage the NPP/JVP leader AKD was getting a figure over 50%. This together with some degree of international acceptance made the JVP behave as if they are already in power, leading to some incidents where their true colour was showing.
The comments made by a prominent member of the JVP who claimed that the JVP killed only the riff-raff, raised many questions, in addition to being a total insult to many innocents killed by them including my uncle. Do they have the authority to do so? Do extra-judicial killings continue to be JVP policy? Do they consider anyone who disagrees with them riff-raff? Will they kill them simply because they do not comply like one of my admired teachers, Dr Gladys Jayawardena who was considered riff-raff because she, as the Chairman of the State Pharmaceutical Corporation, arranged to buy drugs cheaper from India? Is it not the height of hypocrisy that AKD is now boasting of his ties to India?
Another big-wig comes with the grand idea of devolving law and order to village level. As stated very strongly, in the editorial “Pledges and reality” (The Island, 20 May) is this what they intend to do: Have JVP kangaroo-courts!
Perhaps, as a result of these incidents AKD’s ratings has dropped to 39%, according to the IHP survey done in April, and Sajith Premadasa’s ratings have increased gradually to match that. Whilst they are level pegging Ranil is far behind at 13%. Is this the reason why Ranil is getting his acolytes to propagate the idea that the best for the country is to extend his tenure by a referendum? He forced the postponement of Local Governments elections by refusing to release funds but he cannot do so for the presidential election for constitutional reasons. He is now looking for loopholes. Has he considered the distinct possibility that the referendum to extend the life of the presidency and the parliament if lost, would double the expenditure?
Unfortunately, this has been an exercise in futility and it would not be surprising if the next survey shows Ranil’s chances dropping even further! Perhaps, the best option available to Ranil is to retire gracefully, taking credit for steadying the economy and saving the country from an anarchic invasion of the parliament, rather than to leave politics in disgrace by coming third in the presidential election. Unless, of course, he is convinced that opinion polls do not matter and what matters is the ballots in the box!
By Prof. Kirthi Tennakone
ktenna@yahoo.co.uk
Thoughtfulness is the quality of being conscious of issues that arise and considering action while seeking explanations. It facilitates finding solutions to problems and judging experiences.
Almost all human accomplishments are consequences of thoughtfulness.
Can you perform day-to-day work efficiently and effectively without being thoughtful? Obviously, no. Are there any major advancements attained without thought and contemplation? Not a single example!
Science and technology, art, music and literary compositions and religion stand conspicuously as products of thought.
Thought could have sinister motives and the only way to eliminate them is through thought itself. Thought could distinguish right from wrong.
Empathy, love, amusement, and expression of sorrow are reflections of thought.
Thought relieves worries by understanding or taking decisive action.
Despite the universal virtue of thoughtfulness, some advocate an idea termed mindfulness, claiming the benefits of nurturing this quality to shape mental wellbeing. The concept is defined as focusing attention to the present moment without judgment. A way of forgetting the worries and calming the mind – a form of meditation. A definition coined in the West to decouple the concept from religion. The attitude could have a temporary advantage as a method of softening negative feelings such as sorrow and anger. However, no man or woman can afford to be non-judgmental all the time. It is incompatible with indispensable thoughtfulness! What is the advantage of diverting attention to one thing without discernment during a few tens of minute’s meditation? The instructors of mindfulness meditation tell you to focus attention on trivial things. Whereas in thoughtfulness, you concentrate the mind on challenging issues. Sometimes arriving at groundbreaking scientific discoveries, solution of mathematical problems or the creation of masterpieces in engineering, art, or literature.
The concept of meditation and mindfulness originated in ancient India around 1000 BCE. Vedic ascetics believed the practice would lead to supernatural powers enabling disclosure of the truth. Failing to meet the said aspiration, notwithstanding so many stories in scripture, is discernable. Otherwise, the world would have been awakened to advancement by ancient Indians before the Greeks. The latter culture emphasized thoughtfulness!
In India, Buddha was the first to deviate from the Vedic philosophy. His teachers, Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputra, were adherents of meditation. Unconvinced of their approach, Buddha concluded a thoughtful analysis of the actualities of life should be the path to realisation. However, in an environment dominated by Vedic tradition, meditation residually persisted when Buddha’s teachings transformed into a religion.
In the early 1970s, a few in the West picked up meditation and mindfulness. We Easterners, who criticize Western ideas all the time, got exalted after seeing something Eastern accepted in the Western circles. Thereafter, Easterners took up the subject more seriously, in the spirit of its definition in the West.
Today, mindfulness has become a marketable commodity – a thriving business spreading worldwide, fueled largely by advertising. There are practice centres, lessons onsite and online, and apps for purchase. Articles written by gurus of the field appear on the web.
What attracts people to mindfulness programmes? Many assume them being stressed and depressed needs to improve their mental capacity. In most instances, these are minor complaints and for understandable reasons, they do not seek mainstream medical interventions but go for exaggeratedly advertised alternatives. Mainstream medical treatments are based on rigorous science and spell out both the pros and cons of the procedure, avoiding overstatement. Whereas the alternative sector makes unsubstantiated claims about the efficacy and effectiveness of the treatment.
Advocates of mindfulness claim the benefits of their prescriptions have been proven scientifically. There are reports (mostly in open-access journals which charge a fee for publication) indicating that authors have found positive aspects of mindfulness or identified reasons correlating the efficacy of such activities. However, they rarely meet standards normally required for unequivocal acceptance. The gold standard of scientific scrutiny is the statistically significant reproducibility of claims.
If a mindfulness guru claims his prescription of meditation cures hypertension, he must record the blood pressure of participants before and after completion of the activity and show the blood pressure of a large percentage has stably dropped and repeat the experiment with different clients. He must also conduct sessions where he adopts another prescription (a placebo) under the same conditions and compares the results. This is not enough, he must request someone else to conduct sessions following his prescription, to rule out the influence of the personality of the instructor.
The laity unaware of the above rigid requirements, accede to purported claims of mindfulness proponents.
A few years ago, an article published and widely cited stated that the practice of mindfulness increases the gray matter density of the brain. A more recent study found there is no such correlation. Popular expositions on the subject do not refer to the latter report. Most mindfulness research published seems to have been conducted intending to prove the benefits of the practice. The hard science demands doing the opposite as well-experiments carried out intending to disprove the claims. You need to be skeptical until things are firmly established.
Despite many efforts diverted to disprove Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, no contradictions have been found in vain to date, strengthening the validity of the theory. Regarding mindfulness, as it stands, benefits can neither be proved nor disproved, to the gold standard of scientific scrutiny.
Some schools in foreign lands have accommodated mindfulness training programs hoping to develop the mental facility of students and Sri Lanka plans to follow. However, studies also reveal these exercises are ineffective or do more harm than good. Have we investigated this issue before imitation?
Should we force our children to focus attention on one single goal without judgment, even for a moment?
Why not allow young minds to roam wild in their deepest imagination and build castles in the air and encourage them to turn these fantasies into realities by nurturing their thoughtfulness?
Be more thoughtful than mindful?
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