By Siri Gamage –

Dr. Siri Gamage

The Role of Re-skilling, Market Knowledge, Empowerment, and Research

In a recent address, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that stabilising and growing the economy is not sufficient unless the benefits of growth are equitably distributed—particularly to people living in rural areas. He emphasised the need to make rural people genuine partners in development activities. He also noted a serious concern: more than 50 per cent of government allocations for development assistance are absorbed by those administering such programmes rather than reaching the intended beneficiaries.

This concern is especially significant in Sri Lanka, where a majority of the population continues to live in rural areas. Rural poverty is not a post-independence phenomenon. Its roots lie in the colonial period, when British companies introduced plantation agriculture—tea, rubber, and coconut—resulting in widespread peasant landlessness. Large tracts of land were granted to local elites and indigenous chieftains who collaborated with colonial authorities, such as mudaliyars who lived in walavvas and adopted English lifestyles.

Understanding rural poverty and identifying pathways out of it is not an abstract exercise. It is a sociological problem that demands a sound understanding of how society, polity, culture, and the economy are organised—in short, the social organisation of Sri Lanka.

Ownership, Power, and the Colonial Legacy

Any serious discussion of poverty reduction must begin with an analysis of the systems of production and exchange. Who owns and controls these systems at the local, regional, and national levels? Without understanding this fundamental dimension, talk of economic growth and benefit-sharing—especially for rural populations—remains futile.

During the late colonial period, British companies dominated plantations, construction, trade, procurement, exports, and professional services such as accounting, surveying, and finance. A small local middle class found employment either in these enterprises or in the colonial administration, often becoming conformists to colonial norms. Rural society was drawn into this structure, but only selectively. Those with political and economic power enjoyed relative comfort, while those excluded from the power structure struggled to survive.

The majority of the native population—uneducated in the English language and unfamiliar with colonial cultural idioms and practices—became dependent on colonial masters. The master–servant relationship established during colonial times persisted into the post-independence era through political patronage. The late Professor Ranaweera Banda’s doctoral research and subsequent book vividly illustrate how post-independence “development” often deepened rural alienation and dependency rather than alleviating it. His work, along with annual commemorative lectures by prominent social scientists, continues to illuminate the dilemmas facing rural communities today.

Empowerment Beyond Neoliberal Orthodoxy

This raises a critical question: how do we empower rural and urban populations disenfranchised by post-1977 economic policies? Can empowerment occur within a neoliberal, free-market system that favours multinational corporations and their local counterparts? Or do we need fundamental reforms to support emerging but less powerful social strata?

Power must be understood broadly—not only in political and economic terms, but also in creative capacity, entrepreneurship, access to resources and knowledge, networking ability, market awareness, communication skills, teamwork, and leadership. These deficits severely constrain the capacity of rural populations to participate meaningfully in development.

Decentralisation and Local Autonomy

One major concern is the hierarchical nature of Sri Lanka’s political, economic, and educational systems. When decisions made in Colombo are transmitted to the peripheries for implementation, while local regions lack authority over their own welfare and development, systemic failure is inevitable. This was clearly demonstrated during recent cyclones, floods, and landslides.

Empowering rural and peri-urban populations requires creating autonomous local organisational units capable of generating and sharing ideas, mobilising resources, developing income-generating strategies, and combining local knowledge with selectively imported inputs. Indigenous ways of knowing and problem-solving—across health, education, and socio-economic life—can play a vital role. The first step is identifying barriers to empowerment and developing locally grounded solutions.

Skills, Markets, and Value Addition

Sri Lankan society remains highly stratified by caste, class, status, and power. With no level playing field, energising those excluded from systems of production and exchange is extremely challenging. Government intervention is essential, particularly in reforming education to provide relevant skills without alienating students from their cultural heritage.

Agriculture and fishing are frequently cited as sectors requiring urgent attention. However, meaningful intervention must begin with consultation: officials and politicians must engage communities to identify barriers, skill gaps, and resource needs. A key challenge is transforming small producers into medium-scale operators capable of value addition.

This requires two foundational tasks:

Compiling a national register of local products and services (e.g. rice, coconut, spices, herbal medicine, handicrafts).

Mapping domestic and international market demand.

Matching these datasets would enable communities to focus their efforts strategically. For example, coconut water, herbal products, and Sri Lankan food items already have markets abroad. Small ethnic shops overseas represent an untapped supply opportunity. Government-facilitated exposure visits could help producers understand international market contexts and standards.

Tourism, Culture, and Care Economies

Tourism offers further possibilities. Beyond luxury tourism, many visitors seek immersive cultural experiences—local food, rituals, histories, and ways of life. Local libraries, cultural centres, and community historians could play a role in this space. Art, handicrafts, traditional medicine, food preparation, and elder care—an area where Sri Lankan cultural strengths are well recognised—can all be leveraged for inclusive development.

Training, Finance, and Research

At present, only a small segment of the population has the skills to identify market opportunities and translate them into viable enterprises. Targeted education and training programmes are essential. Just as pre-departure training is provided for migrant domestic workers, structured entrepreneurship programmes—supported by corporate mentors and access to finance—can be developed.

Finally, research has a crucial role to play. While much attention is given to entrepreneurship, the experiences of the working class—often constrained by routine, hierarchical work structures—are frequently overlooked. Some workers transition into self-employment, with mixed outcomes. Systematic sociological and economic research is needed to understand these trajectories.

Universities should be encouraged to direct a greater share of research funding towards outcome-oriented, national development research. While discipline-based research has its place, Sri Lanka’s current stage of development demands a stronger focus on applied, policy-relevant inquiry. This, however, is a topic for another discussion.