Coconut is a major commercial crop of Sri Lanka. Growing a number of other crops in association with coconuts is a widespread practice in all coconut-growing areas of the country. The rationale for the practice is that other crops can profitably be grown between or under the coconuts during the different growth stages of the palms and thus the overall productivity of the land under this long-duration crop can substantially be increased.The paper gives a concise account of the practice in Sri Lanka indicating the crops most commonly grown as intercrops, arrangement of different crops and early research results on the productivity of the intercrops and their effect on coconuts. Adequate supplies of water and labour are the two major inputs needed for the success of the system. Drought, lack of funds, price instability, lack of technical know-how on intercrop management and problems of timely availability of inputs are the major constraints experienced by farmers in expanding intercropping. Research on both biological and socio-economic aspects is needed to overcome these constrainsts and extend this potentially attractive system.

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A survey of Indian reservoirs has shown that they receive on an average about 200 percent more sediment than the design inflow. The causes are the usual, except that they are operating very intensely. In brief 'misuse and mismanagement' of the catchment area will describe the causes of higher rates of sedimentation.Fortunately India is very much aware of this problem and a lot is being done by identifying the priority areas for treatment and implementation of programmes to reduce soil erosion and sediment generation.While techniques and efficacy of various biological and structural control measures are well known, it is the policy and planning aspects which need greater attention at present. Some of them are:-It is important that policy and planning should aim at developing the catchment area, reservoir and command area as a package.-In the developing world sediment is the greatest pollutant and it must be recognised and treated as such.-A policy for effective water resource and hydropower development, watershed and command area development must take into account the short term and long term, direct and indirect, private and social benefits, and endeavour to involve the people and the employees in such a way that they feel committed to efficient and effective implementation.

Coconut is a major commercial crop of Sri Lanka. Growing a number of other crops in association with coconuts is a widespread practice in all coconut-growing areas of the country. The rationale for the practice is that other crops can profitably be grown between or under the coconuts during the different growth stages of the palms and thus the overall productivity of the land under this long-duration crop can substantially be increased. The paper gives a concise account of the practice in Sri Lanka indicating the crops most commonly grown as intercrops, arrangement of different crops and early research results on the productivity of the intercrops and their effect on coconuts. Adequate supplies of water and labour are the two major inputs needed for the success of the system. Drought, lack of funds, price instability, lack of technical know-how on intercrop management and problems of timely availability of inputs are the major constraints experienced by farmers in expanding intercropping. Research on both biological and socioeconomic aspects is needed to overcome these constraints and extend this potentially attractive system.