ConsequencesThere are a number
of socio-economic and ecological consequences of land use changes in
Kuttanad region especially in the three panchayats studied.
The most important and immediate impact of
paddy land conversion is the adverse effect on the rice production in the State
and also the socio-economic conditions of the farmers and farm workers. It is
calculated that there are more than nine lakhs of farm workers in the State, who
get their earning mainly from paddy cultivation. There should be a mechanism to
conserve the existing paddy lands and also to implement an action programme for
increasing the production and productivity of paddy by providing essential
science and technology input.
The rice fields have several ecological
functions also. It act as a very viable ecosystem for innumerable number of
organisms. In addition to this they act as a good drainage basin, to collect the
rain water and run off and slowly penetrating it in to the ground water aquifer,
thus helping for ground water recharging. The loss of high productivity and
nutrient export to other regimes, supporting very complex food web and acting as
natural nurseries and breeding grounds of native fishes, molluscs and
crustaceans which have very high nutritive and food value led to the decrease in
fish catches. The destruction of mangrove ecosystem also result in the loss of
wind breaking action and checking of soil erosion and the natural land building
capabilities.
The loss of drainage facilities and water
logging has led to the increased run off, soil erosion, and frequent floods and
droughts. This also increased concentration of pollutants in the water, like the
pesticide residues, which resulted in the recent fish diseases in Kuttanad, and
the frequently occurring water borne diseases in the area.
The conversion of fresh water ponds, which
were drinking water sources in the earlier times in many places, has led to
scarcity of drinking water.
The land use changes have its own impact in
contributing to the weed menace and the narrowing of natural canals leading to
serious consequences on water transport, water flow and giving extra pace to the
on going eutrophication of water bodies.
According to a study conducted recently in Kumarakom panchayat, the total number of species of natural vegetation has decreased considerably. A drastic reduction in the density of population in each species is also noted, especially in the case of aquatic medicinal plants like Brahmi
(Bacopa monnieri). This study also reports the over-population of aquatic weeds like
Eicbhorina crassipes.
The pest and invader problem is also the
consequences of land use changes. The change in environmental conditions,
microclimate and quality of water has resulted in the sudden out break of
diseases and pests and the invasion of new exotic species of plants and
animals.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The land use change analysis of Pallipad, Ramankari and Kumarakom
panchayats of the Kuttanad region clearly reveals the pattern and extent
of land use changes, its causes and consequences. The major change is the
conversion of paddy fields to non-paddy or non-agricultural purposes. The
constraints in paddy cultivation and the huge demand for land for
non-agricultural purposes especially for settlements due to the population
pressure should be taken in to account when we formulate an action plan.
The qualitative and quantitative aspects of he biophysical resources
should be taken into account when we introduce a new land use pattern in
the area.
Based on the information generated through
this study, some management options has been formulated. But very detailed study
and action plan is required for evolving an appropriate land and water
management policy for the State.
The major areas of interventions required are as follows:
- Programme for identifying and solving the
constraints in the paddy sector like reducing the cost of cultivation,
marketing, increase in production and productivity and thus to make paddy
cultivation profitable to the farmers.
- Conversion and reclamation of paddy lands
should be banned; except for some specific cases, which should be done after
detailed environmental impact assessment.
- The government and society should extend
maximum support to farmers and farm workers in the form of both financial as
well as technical assistance.
- All the activities related to paddy
cultivation carried out by different agencies should be integrated and the
activities of Krishi Bhavans should be restructured to make it more useful
for getting the technical assistance to farmers.
- Above all the popularisation of the great progressive step in land use practices initiated by the farmers itself called the Integrated Farming which combine
paddy cultivation with aquaculture in `polders’ or
`padasekharams’ (earlier called as inland fish baskets) and animal
husbandry, piggery, duck and chicken farming in garden land or `raised
beds’ popularly known as the `bund homesteads’ should be given
urgent attention. This will increase the total economic return several folds
and help to overcome most of environmental problems being experienced by the
region as these problems had arisen from the pattern of cultivation and its
back ground facilities. [Appendix I]. Special care should be given to
identify the probable impacts of these activities and the activity should be
carried out only after the impact assessment.
- Make the local people aware about the
serious consequences of the conversion of paddy fields. This can be done
through the neighbourhood groups (NHG), schools and other NGO units working
in the panchayat.
- A Biodiversity Registration Programme should be initiated by each panchayat and a
detailed Biodiversity Register should be prepared, with people’s
participation and with the help of technical and scientific institutions and
experts in this field.
- A local `gene bank’ of all types of
agricultural and wild, native and medicinal flora and fauna should be
established, it is worth to mention in this connection, the conservation,
protection and restoration of small sacred groves in Pallipad panchayat.
- An Ecotourism and Environment Monitoring Cell should be established immediately in
Kumarakom Panchayat at a suitable location by the Panchayat Authorities
giving the service of both paid and voluntary technical staffs to give
proper guidance to domestic and foreign tourists.
- The tendency of riverside people to
reclaim the river should be strictly banned.
- Existing fresh water ponds should be
preserved to assure the self-sufficiency and sustainability in drinking
water sector.
- Clean and deepen the criss-crossing canals
in all the panchayats, to increase the water flow and drainage and reduce
the pollution levels. An action plan and Land Policy should be prepared by
each panchayats based on the study and management options. But all the
options should be considered in an integrated manner and not in a fragmented
manner.
- A detailed land use plan should be
prepared for each panchayats in Kerala before implementing any Land and
Water management activities.
- A task force should be set up by the
government to look into the various aspects of land use management and to
evolve a proper land use policy for Kerala.