Jake at Eco Community Sri Lanka February 2013

Eco Community Sri Lanka was started in 2010 by four friends, Chaminda, Thalina, Kumara and Sused and others. Together they bought a 52 acres site in an area close to Moragollagama, 2 hours by bus north of Kurunegala, Sri Lanka.

By starting the Eco Community, the four friends will made a difference in Sri Lanka by showing that it is possible to live self sustainable. And show other farmers that it is possible to grow plants without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. With help of volunteers from all over the world the start is being made for this fantastic project.

At the farm are around 45 cows who gives together around 30 litres of milk a day for selling. There are some chickens, turkeys and goats. There are a few plantations with organic papaya trees, cashewnut trees and eggplants. Depending on the harvest they will use it themselves and will sell a part of it to have some income to invest in other projects at the farm.

 In 2013 they will harvest the first rice-fields. The intention is that all the rice that was planted will be enough for one year. So then there will be no need to buy rice anymore.

There are two solar panels to provide light and water. And they use drinking water from a well.

Every week there are new volunteers coming to help with the daily work and starting new projects at the farm like creating a vegetable garden, building more houses (made of local materials), making compost etc. Much of the development is experimental, a learning process.

The volunteers are wwoofing members. A world wide organization who gives the opportunity to come in contact with people who have an organic farm. Together with the volunteers every day there are improvements.

Running an organic farm is not the easiest job. You need to have a lot of knowledge about how to run a farm and how to use plants and compost in the right way. And of course the wheater is an important factor.

One of the intentions of the eco community is to experiment and to share useful technologies and lessons. The next few years will be needed to explore more but the start is made and with all the help of the volunteers this project can be successful. Hopefully Eco Community Sri Lanka is a good example for whole Sri Lanka to show that it is possible to farm and live organic!