Postgraduate research students

Nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation in agricultural social-ecological systems in Sri Lanka

Uncertainty about the long-term viability of agriculture is a growing concern in most nations due to long-term changes in weather patterns known as climate change. This study delves into the critical challenges posed by climate change, with a focus on susceptible farming communities in the global South in general and in Sri Lanka in particular. The study explores how nature-based farming solutions can alleviate the impacts and risks of climate change floods and droughts, as well as their limitations. It also explores the efficacy of such farming systems in creating more robust.

This study exclusively considers understanding the role of traditional farmers’ knowledge in shaping natural farming solutions and assessing the location-specific variance of the effectiveness of nature-based farming solutions. The anticipated findings include effectiveness indicators of farming practices in terms of community well-being and climate change-induced floods and droughts, along with their regional variations.

Key Articles

Sankalpa, J.K.S., Rathnayaka, A.M.R.W.S.D., Ishani, P.G.N. et al. (2024) Fusion of spectral and topographic features for land use mapping using a machine learning framework for a regional scale application. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 196, 1030. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-13178-w

Sankalpa, J. K. S., Gunaratne, P. K. K. S., Wijesuriya, W., Ishani, P. G. N., Rathnayaka, A. M. R. W. S. D. (2023) The determinants of job satisfaction of rubber latex harvesters: a case from smallholder rubber lands in Sri Lanka. Journal of Rubber Research, 26, pp. 71–80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42464-023-00191-w

Sankalpa, J.K.S, Ishani, P.G.N and Wijesuriya, W. (2022) Socioeconomic factors influencing farmers’ willingness to replant trees: Evidence from smallholder rubber farming in Sri Lanka. Forests, Trees and Livelihoods, 31(4), pp. 246–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/14728028.2022.2145509

Sankalpa, J.K.S., Wijesuriya, W., Wimalaratana, W., Ishani, P. G. N. (2021) A typology of smallholder rubber intercropping farmers: A case study of Moneragala District in Sri Lanka. Journal of Rubber Research, 24, pp. 719–734. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42464-021-00127-2

Sankalpa, J.K.S., Wijesuriya, W.& Ishani, P. G. N. (2020) Do rubber-based agroforestry practices build resilience upon poverty incidence? A case study from Moneragala district in Sri Lanka. Agroforestry Systems, 94, pp. 1795–1808. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-020-00502-9

Conferences

Sankalpa J.K. S, Wijesuriya, W., Ishani, P.G.N., Ratnayake A.M.R.S.W. D. (2021). Smallholder rubber agroforestry farming in the non-traditional areas of Sri Lanka: An application of assets-based livelihood capital indicator approach. The Resilience of Rubber-based Agroforestry Systems in the Context of Global Change. International Conference on Rubber-based agroforestry, Web of conferences, 305, 06002. https:// doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202130506002

• Dr Jiren Xu
• Professor Cecilia Tortajada

CoSS PhD Scholarship

Starting from 2024, I began my Ph.D. studies in Environmental Sustainability at the School of Social and Environmental Sustainability, University of Glasgow.

Since 2012, I have been working as a Research Officer at the Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka.

From 2015-2017, I completed a master’s degree in economics at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

From 2009-2011, I earned a Master of Science in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

From 2005-2009, I completed a B.Sc. in Agricultural Technology and Management at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.