Fallow Land is Worth Nothing: Let us Incentivise Realizing its Value

Land is an emotional issue in all countries. It is particularly so in a relatively small country like Sri Lanka.

Land is also a crucial factor of production. When the share of agriculture in GDP declines, as an economy modernizes and becomes more complex, issues related to the availability and value of urban land becomes more urgent. In addition, issues related to food security, competitiveness and the impact on domestic prices place an increasing premium on the productivity of agricultural land. Land related issues are not only complex in nature but are also entrenched in a web of primordial emotions which are difficult to manage. It is now timely to take a holistic view of the challenges related to land and conduct an open and constructive debate on the subject. The pressures on both rural and urban land are likely to be amplified as the country seeks accelerated development in the post-conflict era.