Soil fertility management of paddy fields by traditional farmers in the dry zone of Sri Lanka

Traditional farmers in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka maintained soil fertility of paddy fields for centuries without applying mineral fertilizers. Some of their traditional cultivation practices not only preserved the natural processes which lead to the regeneration of fertility, but also added nutrients to the soil. This study highlights those traditional practices-fallow period, application of green manure and animal waste, aquaculture in paddy fields, utilization of nutrients in irrigation water and planting trees on paddy fields. Why these practices ceased to exist with the introduction of agricultural modernization and increased population is examined herewith.