Better water management in irrigation tank cascade systems is vital in achieving higher productive use of available water. To develop and implement management practices aimed at improving effective use of water, studies leading to the development of models that can predict available tank water in irrigation tank cascade systems are invaluable. This report presents a simple water balance model, Cascade, developed to predict tank water availability in the Thirappane tank cascade system in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. The report includes calibration of the model and its application to predict tank water availability for rice crops over a 10-year period.

The core of this study involved an examination and analysis of certain key features of the traditional small tank cascade systems: a) the location and design of the systems in the past b) the hydro-system which considers the overall hydrological balance and groundwater conditions c) maintenance and tank use d) tank management and integration with local farming systems.

A food system comprises the entire range of actors and interlinked activities related to food production, processing, distribution, marketing and trade, preparation, consumption, and disposal. When a food system operates without compromising the needs of future generations, it is considered to be a “Sustainable Food System.” The present-day food systems in Sri Lanka are diverse, and the natural and physical environment, infrastructure, institutions, society and culture, and policies and regulations within which the food systems operate, as well as the technologies employed, have shaped their outcomes. Agricultural research is a key factor in terms of innovation and technological advances. Innovation has been the main driver of food systems’ transformation over the past few decades and will be critical to addressing the needs of a rapidly growing population in a context of climate change and scarcity of natural resources. In addition, agricultural research must help meet the rising demand for food at affordable prices. Comprising 17 chapters written by specialist(s) in their respective subject-areas, this Contributed Volume on “Agricultural Research for Sustainable Food Systems in Sri Lanka: A Historical Perspective” shares the scientific knowledge accumulated by the National Agricultural Research System of Sri Lanka, including universities, and offers recommendations on how to make food systems more sustainable in order to address the current needs of Sri Lankan society. It presents perspectives on four key thematic areas, namely: (i) Crop and animal production, management, and improvement, (ii) Agro-product processing technologies, (iii) Natural resource management, and (iv) Socio-economic development and agri-business management.

Description of thirappane cascade; Hydrological modeling of TCS; Groundwater movement in meegassagama command area; Optimal cropping mixture and water management; Discussion and recommendations.

The papers in this volume were presented at the first National Workshop on the Status and Future Directions of Research pertaining to the water sector in Sri Lanka, held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, Colombo, Sri Lanka during 4-6 November, 1998. The aim ofthe conference was for policy makers and senior water managers in Sri Lanka to share and discuss the findings, implications and uses of current research dealing with any aspect of water, and to prioritize future research needs, develop a national water research strategy and initiate a network of water researchers in Sri Lanka and abroad to carry out relevant research in the future. In selecting papers for the conference, priority was given to those authored by persons who had limited opportunities to disseminate their research findings or share empirical experiences. Although the main language of the conference was English, authors were specifically encouraged to present papers in either Sinhala or Tamil.

Contributed papers presented at the conference organized by International Water Management Institute, Irrigation Dept., Dept. of Agriculture, and Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute.