Uncertainty can drive anyone crazy.In the paddy fields of Kuttanad, it is this feeling of doubt and insecurity that has been a major concern for the farmer. And this has not been a temporary phenomenon in a State which offers the highest paddy procurement price, Rs.1,100 per quintal, and is the only State that offers interest-free loans for paddy cultivation. For the last two years, there has been no sense of security in Kuttanad, once known as the 'Rice Bowl of Kerala' and only the second place in the world where cultivation is done below mean sea level.Sample this. In March-April, 2007, the region saw the best 'puncha' yield in a decade. From 1,07,500 tonnes the previous season, the yield jumped to 1,37,500 tonnes. Increased use of certified seed varieties such as and spread of mechanisation, from 17 combined harvester machines in 2006 to about 140 of the multi-purpose machines, were cited as the reason. But procurement of the crop was slow, mainly because private rice mills contracted by the State Civil Supplies Department were ill-equipped to handle the increased quantity and to speed up the process. And then, rain struck. Tonnes of harvested paddy exposed to the rain while waiting for procurement germinated.Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who visited the frustrated farmers, had told The Hindu in an interview then that the loss could be devastating. Hundreds of farmers who had taken loans to cultivate paddy in 22,814 hectares suffered crushing losses. But they were undeterred and went back to the fields for the second round. The high yield story was repeated. The procurement process was better. And then, Kuttanad saw the biggest floods in 16 years and the story of loss too was repeated.In March this year, when the 'puncha' paddy acreage rose to 25,232 hectares and there was a consequent rise in yield, from around three-four tonnes a hectare to five tonnes, untimely summer rain wreaked havoc. The damage to paddy alone was around Rs.70 crore in monetary terms. Financial loss was not the only setback. Four farmers ended their lives in two weeks. One case: Pushkaran, 65, of Edathua, owning a 50-cent paddy field, took three acres on lease for cultivation, a gold loan of Rs.44,465 from the State Cooperative Bank, Oorukari, and another Rs.50,000 through a micro-finance scheme of the Sree Narayana Trust and an informal loan of Rs.8,696. The unexpected summer rain did not allow him to harvest the crop. Pushkaran consumed pesticide on March 28.The rest of the farmers were not discouraged. Their grit and determination have seen the acreage increasing from 7,347 tonnes to 10,000 hectares in the second round of cultivation from May this year. One issue that had plagued farmers during the previous season, the clash between labourer and machine, was solved to a great extent this time with the government itself procuring combined harvester machines through cooperative societies. The government also set up the first of its kind monitoring system to guide the farmer from the sowing stage to the harvest, both at the State-level and the district-level. According to Principal Agriculture Officer P.S. Soman, the yield was set to rise again. A few areas where harvest was over by mid-October reported a rise from five-six tonnes to 6.5 tonnes a hectare. "As assured by the government, financial help, seeds and fertilizer were given to cultivate in fallow land, interest-free loans of over Rs.10 crore were disbursed and availability of machines was ensured. All this created a positive atmosphere, which is why the acreage saw a corresponding increase," he says.But just when the farmers were about to harvest the crop, rain has struck. At least 1,000 hectares of standing crop is already submerged by October 25. Harvested paddy in a few areas has started sprouting as well, yet another story of loss for the fourth consecutive season in succession.A bund breach in the 9,000-acre 'kayal' paddy field and threats of the same in other areas have thrown preparations for the forthcoming 'puncha' round as well into uncertainty. The Thanneermukkom Barrage too continues to be a point of controversy. Uncertainty reigns over whether the bund, set up to prevent saline water intrusion from the Arabian Sea into Kuttanad, should be kept open round the year or how long its shutters should be kept down a year.So, are nature and her allies the biggest enemies of the Kuttanad farmer? Yes and no is how Kuttanad Vikasana Samithi executive director Fr. Thomas Peelianickal replies to that question. "Unpredictable climate is a recent phenomenon. It is proper planning and preparation to tackle this that has been lacking. The Kuttanad Package of the M.S. Swaminathan Commission calls for two storage shelters to protect the harvested crop from rain. But we need paddy shelters all across Kuttanad if the rain has to be effectively tackled. The outer bunds of all the fields can be strengthened and shelters built on them. Labourers can rest in these, store the harvested crop and also protect the hay from rain. The expense for such multi-purpose shelters is nothing compared to the losses if they are not there," points out Fr. Peelianickal, who also feels that the number of combined harvesters is still insufficient."Dr. Swaminathan called for at least 300 of them. Training for local youth to maintain these and job assurance for labourers too has to be ensured. The Supplyco should have its godowns in Kuttanad and start rice mills of its own so that exploitation and follies by private mills are prevented. Such elaborate, well-planned preparations can bring about a dynamic change in Kuttanad," he says.
The Hindu, 10th November 2008
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