“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
The Sri Lanka disaster started with an ill-advised ban on agricultural chemicals in a bid to go “all organic” last year.
The conventional wisdom was that this was better for human and planetary health. 1/
The Sri Lanka disaster started with an ill-advised ban on agricultural chemicals in a bid to go “all organic” last year.
The conventional wisdom was that this was better for human and planetary health. 1/
https://twitter.com/bmj_latest/status/1543474626986131456
So how did this unfold?
The foundation of Sri Lanka’s economy is tea production.
According to the FAO in 2017, tea exports paid for 71% of food imports for the nation. 2/
fao.org/3/i4485e/i4485…
The foundation of Sri Lanka’s economy is tea production.
According to the FAO in 2017, tea exports paid for 71% of food imports for the nation. 2/
fao.org/3/i4485e/i4485…
Tea is grown on trees & Sri Lanka has the perfect climate for tea trees to grow.
It takes ~3 years for the tree to grow enough to be productive.
When trees die b/c of pests pressure or lack of fertilizer, it takes a long time to replace them. 3/
colossuspizza.com/how-to-plant-t…
It takes ~3 years for the tree to grow enough to be productive.
When trees die b/c of pests pressure or lack of fertilizer, it takes a long time to replace them. 3/
colossuspizza.com/how-to-plant-t…
What does tea production have to do with public health?
Global health practitioners have made claims that agrochemicals are linked to kidney disease in Sri Lanka.4/
themorning.lk/are-chemical-f…
Global health practitioners have made claims that agrochemicals are linked to kidney disease in Sri Lanka.4/
themorning.lk/are-chemical-f…
This allegation, along with the claim that chemicals aren’t necessary for productive farming & that modern agricultural practices are harmful to planetary health led many people to call for a return to organic farming. 5/
Politicians listened to this advice & in April of 2021 implemented a complete ban on the import of pesticides and fertilizers over the objections of agricultural experts.6/
swarajyamag.com/news-brief/sri…
swarajyamag.com/news-brief/sri…
Back to tea.
Remember how we said that tea exports pay for 71% of food imports in Sri Lanka?
The tea sector collapsed because they couldn’t protect their tea trees.
No tea, no cash.
No cash, no food.8/
lankanewsweb.net/archives/1402/….
Remember how we said that tea exports pay for 71% of food imports in Sri Lanka?
The tea sector collapsed because they couldn’t protect their tea trees.
No tea, no cash.
No cash, no food.8/
lankanewsweb.net/archives/1402/….
No food or fuel.
No way to pay for healthcare, school or infrastructure.
This is a humanitarian crisis.
For MDs promoting “The Great Food Transformation”
Please engage with Ag experts before lobbying for major policy changes in agriculture.
First Do No Harm
FIN
#MedTwitter
No way to pay for healthcare, school or infrastructure.
This is a humanitarian crisis.
For MDs promoting “The Great Food Transformation”
Please engage with Ag experts before lobbying for major policy changes in agriculture.
First Do No Harm
FIN
#MedTwitter
@TheLancet @keithmartinmd @bmj_latest @AgTwitter
@AgBioWorld @CUGHnews @shaileyprasad #EATLancet @NEJM @HarvardHealth @UCSFMedicine @WHO @FAOKnowledge @JMT_tweets @acmtmedtox @Clin_Tox @kevinfolta @stuartsmyth66 @JAMANetwork @WUSTLmed @WUSTLpubhealth
@AgBioWorld @CUGHnews @shaileyprasad #EATLancet @NEJM @HarvardHealth @UCSFMedicine @WHO @FAOKnowledge @JMT_tweets @acmtmedtox @Clin_Tox @kevinfolta @stuartsmyth66 @JAMANetwork @WUSTLmed @WUSTLpubhealth
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