Srilanka, Feb. 17 -- Sri Lanka mired in a deep economic depression requires mammoth efforts to lift itself out of the crisis. The Government has many economic policy challenges, including immediate relief to the people, rejuvenating production of the contracted economy, and sustainable financing for longer-term development. The Budget for 2025 to be announced this week should at least provide some direction if not the allocations for arresting the decline. In this column, I address the robust organising of society and key institutions necessary to address economic problems, including the strengthening of our food system which is so crucial for our survival.

For close to five decades, we have been living in the myth that markets will ens...