Tank Cascade Systems of Sri Lanka : A Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System

The Tank Cascade System (TCS) of Sri Lanka is a connected series of tanks organized within a micro-catchment of a dry zone landscape for storing, conveying, and utilizing water from a temporary stream. FAO and the UN internationally recognize it as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System for food security and sustainable development in a changing climate. This edited volume offers a comprehensive and holistic coverage of the entire scope of cascade systems including their origins, governance, and integration with agriculture, biodiversity, cultural linkages, associated livelihoods, degradation causes, restoration efforts, gender perspectives, and disaster resilience.

Features

• Provides comprehensive coverage of the evolution of the Tank Cascade Systems over two millennia in Sri Lanka.
• Offers a holistic understanding of multifaceted dimensions of TCS from ecological importance to economic potential and offers a well-defined roadmap towards securing sustainable TCS.
• Addresses critical challenges of water quality, deterioration and prevalence of human health issues, human-wildlife conflicts, and land degradation.
• Discusses perspectives of restoring significant agricultural heritage systems around the globe for solving environmental and agricultural problems.
• Includes practical case studies with replicable models for integrated landscape management and livelihood enhancement.
• Outlines strategic approaches to sustainable management, encompassing ecosystem restoration, resilience against disasters, and gender-inclusive strategies.

This book is for researchers, academics, graduate, and senior undergraduate students in Agriculture, Environmental Science, Ecology, and Soil Science, and those interested in water conservation and sustainability in tropical landscapes. It also serves as an insightful reference for industry and government professionals, and human rights activists.