Monaragala wilting under the scorching impact of climate change

Sri Lanka's agricultural backbone, the Monaragala District, is buckling under the weight of climate change, according to the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ).

- BY IFHAM NIZAM

Executive Director, Dilena Pathragoda, speaking to The Island Financial Review said that their study outlines a stark warning that the district's economic survival is in grave danger unless urgent action is taken.

Speaking on the findings of a new study, he stated, "The impacts of climate change are no longer distant predictions. They are happening here and now; devastating crops, livelihoods and the economic lifeblood of Monaragala."

The report paints a worrying picture. Monaragala, traditionally a region reliant on rice, sugar-cane and seasonal crops, is seeing shifts in temperature and rainfall that severely disrupt agricultural activities. The district's average temperature has already risen by one degree Celsius over the past four decades, a trend that is expected to accelerate. Future climate projections suggest that, without substantial mitigation efforts, the region could experience temperature increases that make traditional farming almost impossible during key growing seasons.