Promoting sustainable lifestyles through organic agrarian practices

Focusing attention on healthy living and balanced nutrition as a tool to address limitations in urban lifestyles by creating eco-friendly spaces to nurture organic food crops.

The centre provides practical training and information on home gardening and sustainable agricultural practices to promote healthy lifestyles amongst children and adults.

The Dilmah Conservation Sustainable Agriculture Research Centre (DCSARC) was established at the MJF Centre in Moratuwa as a research cum education centre to carry out studies on high yielding crops, to grow organic vegetables, to provide a place where practical training and information could be offered on home gardening and sustainable agricultural practices, and to promote healthy lifestyles amongst school children and adults.

The modern demand for resource-intensive agricultural produce is leading to many lifestyle diseases as a result of chemical fertilisers used to grow disease resistant vegetables in shorter periods of time. At the DCSARC, several varieties of vegetables, leafy greens and fruits are grown using organic methods and zero application of agro chemicals. The centre also disseminates information on creating gardens in limited spaces as well as creating vertical agriculture models using recyclable material.

A majority of the produce are sun-dried or seeds extracted to be replanted. The remainder is stored to be distributed to visitors who attend awareness programmes or visit the centre. Additionally, as part of an extension programme on sustainable nutritional gardens, a portion of the vegetables produced are handed over to provide meals for differently-abled children attending the Rainbow Centre also located at the MJF Centre Moratuwa.

Unpredictable weather conditions are leading to the decline in food crops all over the world with warnings of an imminent food shortage in the near future. In order to address and remedy the situation, a practical concept called ‘Garden in a Tray’ was introduced by DCSARC. This miniature garden consists of 25 one month old vegetable plants grown in a special tray, and includes tomato, okra, aubergine, capsicum, chilli, salad leaves, bitter gourd, beetroot, bushita pea and cabbage. These trays are ideal for any household including apartments with limited space. Once fully grown, the trays can provide a crop of vegetables for up to three months.

There are over 45 varieties of herbs, 55 varieties of vegetables and 10 varieties of fruit grown at the DCSARC in Moratuwa. Attention is given to native, rare varieties in an effort to promote these healthy, native plants sourced organically.

In 2013, DCSARC received the organic certification of Sri Cert, a certification body established to endorse and certify planting material producers and merchants of vegetable and chilli seedlings, export agriculture crops and ornamental plants.

Home gardening is a traditional concept promoted under the extension programme of the DCSARC. With innovation and expert knowledge on the subject, DCSARC endeavours to re-introduce the concept of home gardening among urban communities using innovative methods that would better suite modern lifestyles. It is envisaged to go beyond the traditional home gardening concept by diversifying the crops and planning for optimum utilisation of the land available. As an initial step, DCSARC has provided selected families with technical know-how of preparing and maintaining a sustainable home garden. Seeds and plants were provided free of charge. DCSARC agriculture training sessions at the Community Learning Centre located within the premises of the MJF Centre Moratuwa for interested groups will continue whilst providing seeds and plants at subsidised prices.