Kuttanad Wetland Agricultural System (KWAS)
Why in news?
Recent soil tests in Kuttanad's paddy fields, part of Kerala's unique below-sea-level wetland farming system, revealed aluminium levels up to 165 times above safe limits, threatening rice cultivation.
About KWAS
- The Kuttanad Wetland Agricultural System (KWAS) is a globally recognized heritage site in Kerala, famous as the only place in India where rice is cultivated below sea level.
- It represents a unique blend of traditional ecological knowledge, sustainable farming, and community-driven water management.
Key Features of KWAS
- Location: Kuttanad, Alappuzha district, Kerala — often called the “Rice Bowl of Kerala.”
- Unique Practice: Paddy cultivation 1–2 meters below mean sea level, on reclaimed marshes.
- Bunds (Padasekharams): Farmers construct earthen bunds to protect fields from saline backwaters.
- Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS): Recognized by the FAO for its sustainable and indigenous farming practices. Kuttanad's system is one of the three Indian GIAHS sites alongside Koraput and Kashmir saffron, balances conservation with livelihoods through integrated wetlands, gardens, and water bodies.
- Community Management: Collective farming and water regulation through cooperative institutions.
Significance
- Food Security: Ensures rice production in a challenging ecological zone.
- Climate Adaptation: Demonstrates resilience against floods, salinity, and waterlogging.
- Cultural Heritage: Embodies centuries-old farming wisdom and social cooperation.
- Sustainability: Integrates biodiversity conservation with livelihood security.
Challenges
- Intensification with three rice crops yearly, salinity ingress, chemical overuse, and Thanneermukkom Bund have disrupted hydrology, causing pollution, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss.
- Coconut root-wilt disease and weedy abandoned fields threaten sustainability.
- Climate impacts demand revived traditional practices for resilience.
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