Effective government intervention in Kuttanad, need of the hour - SSTM study report

Effective government intervention with people participation is very much the need of the hour to save Kuttanad from the present grave crisis faced by the farmers, says a report of the study made by SSTM students.

The paddy fields extending to nearly 500 square km. in Alappuzha district of Kerala had, till recently, been known as the ‘rice bowl of Kerala.’ Farming in Kuttanad is unique because the entire tract is lying below the sea level. This is the only place in the world where paddy is being cultivated below the sea level. Farming is the main livelihood of the 1.8 million people living in this region.

During the past few years, agricultural production in the area had declined considerably. Today paddy cultivation in this area has turned out to be uneconomical for many reasons. Farmers are not able either to conduct timely cultural operations or to market their produces to make a reasonable return on investment. The entire farming community is in a deplorable plight, fighting for survival.

It was against this background that the MBA students of SSTM had undertaken a social project focusing on various issues related to agricultural production, especially paddy cultivation in Kuttanad. A cross-sectional study was conducted among the farmers, both small and large, to identify the various issues involved. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Interactions with government agricultural officers and officials of the local bodies helped to get a clear picture of the real problems faced by the farmers.

The major findings of the study are as follows:

Paddy cultivation can be made profitable in Kuttanad only by resorting to large-scale farming. The unresolved issues with trade union activists in regard to mechanization and modernization of agricultural practices as well as wage-related issues need to be sorted out before any progress could be made.

The support from the government, both technical and financial, is inadequate. Price offered for the produce by supporting agencies is inadequate. The poor quality of the seeds supplied by government agencies result in poor yield.

The elder generation of farmers is losing interest in farming on account of the serious problems remaining unresolved. The new generation has completely neglected farming because of the hard labour, unionization among workers and high cost of cultivation.

Obstruction to natural flow of rivers due to unscientific construction of bridges and canals in the area is destroying the ecological balance and in turn agriculture.

The study was conducted by George Kurian, Harshad Rasheed, Dilna Elza R., Devi R., Deepthi D. and Fathima Nazir R.