Context
Kuttanad, Kerala, known for idyllic backwaters, rivers, canals, and vast paddy fields, faces the alarming consequences of changing weather patterns.
- The people of the region are facing fluctuating weather patterns, alternating between torrential downpours and drought, and intrusion of saline water from the sea.
- Another serious concern is the drinking water problem caused by water pollution, high salinity, and drought.
About Kuttanad Wetland System
- Part of Vembanad Wetland: It is a unique wetland complex in central Kerala and is part of the larger Vembanad Kol wetland ecosystem, which is a “Ramsar Site”.
- Vembanad Lake is one of the largest brackish-water lakes, which flows into the Lakshadweep Sea at Kochi.
- A narrow sand ridge that runs parallel to Vembanad Lake with numerous inlets, both seasonal and permanent (known in Malayalam as ‘azhi’ and ‘pozhi’), separates Kuttanad and the Lakshadweep Sea.
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- Unique Agriculture System: Kuttanad Wetland Agriculture System is unique, as it is the only system in India that favors rice cultivation below sea level in the land created by draining delta swamps in brackish waters.
- As an approach to cope with the imminent climate impacts in coastal areas and evolve efficient methods it aims to deal with soil availability and floods issues in agriculture.
- Recognition: The farming system was declared a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) over a decade ago.
- A Fragmented Landscape: The Kuttanad system is a complex mosaic of fragmented agricultural landscapes divided in three structures:
- Wetlands used for paddy activities and fish catching
- Garden lands used for coconut, tubers and food crops plantation
- Water areas used as inland fishing and shells
About Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)
- In order to safeguard and support the world’s agricultural heritage systems, the Food and Agriculture Organization started an initiative for the identification and the dynamic conservation of GIAHS in 2002.
- These traditional agricultural systems represent models of sustainable agricultural production.
- Three recognised GIAHS sites in India:
- Kuttanad Below Sea Level Farming System of Kerala
- Koraput Traditional Agriculture of Odisha
- Pampore Saffron Heritage of Kashmir
About Ramsar Sites
- Establishment: A Ramsar site is a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention (also known as the ‘Convention on Wetlands’), an intergovernmental environmental treaty established by UNESCO in 1971, and named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the convention was signed that year.
- Identification: Ramsar recognition is the identification of wetlands which are of international importance, especially if they provide habitat to waterfowl (about 180 species of birds).
- First Ramsar Site in India: Chilika Lake in Orissa and Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan.
- Largest Ramsar Site in India: Sundarbans in West Bengal
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Also Read: Important Lakes In India List
March 30, 2024