Farmers in Kerala’s Kole Wetlands Reel Under Unprecedented Drought

Poor supply of fresh water and inflow of salt water into the fields is wreaking havoc in the Kole region.

The vast expanse of water has degenerated into smaller water patches upstream of the Enamavu barrage. (Photo Courtesy: S Gopikrishna Warrier/The Village Square)

The severe drought of 2017 has dealt a double whammy to the farmers growing rice in the Kole wetlands of Thrissur district in Kerala. While the inadequate supply of fresh water through the rivers and the canals have left their fields dry, improper barrage management at the estuarine mouths has caused salt water to move inwards into their fields.

Spread over 13,632 hectares in Thrissur and Malappuram districts, the Kole wetlands are designated a Ramsar site of unique ecological and biological importance.

The rice farmers in the paddy fields of Kole get a large harvest, and it is believed that the word ‘Kole’ was used in Malayalam for a bumper harvest.

Of critical importance to this high productivity is the interface and balance between the fresh water brought into the system by the Kechery and Karuvannur rivers draining the lower slopes of the Western Ghats and the saline estuarine water mixing at the river mouths due to tidal action. A network of barrages across the rivers at the edge of the estuary serves to maintain this balance.

Unprecedented Dryness

Dry saline fields are the antithesis of what the Kole ecosystem signifies. Here, the fresh water stands till August after it starts raining in early June, while the salt water stays in the estuaries due to the fresh water push and the regulation through the barrages.

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A study of the Kole ecosystem carried out by the College of Forestry, Kerala Agriculture University, states that the Kole fields are low-lying tracts that are 0.5 m to 1 m below sea level. These are low-lying plains running parallel to the coast, which have been filled in with alluvial soil brought in by the rivers.

The Kole fields are of significant importance to Kerala since they signify 3.2% of the gross rice producing area in the state. The higher productivity in the Kole region ensures that its share vis-à-vis the total rice production in the state is disproportionately higher. It provides livelihoods to thousands of families of farmers and fishermen. 

There are 172 Kole farmers’ associations that work their agricultural lands in the ecosystem.

An almost dry canal at Pullu. (Photo Courtesy: S Gopikrishna Warrier/The Village Square)

“In the Venkitangu area, some of the fields have given up to 3,200 kg of paddy per acre (7.904 kg per hectare),” NR Unnikrishnan, secretary of the Kizhakke Karimbadam Kole Farmers’ Association, told VillageSquare.in. “This had dropped to below 2,000 kg per acre due to the drought and salinisation.”

Considering that paddy can yield up to 60% of its weight as rice, Unnikrishnan’s figure would mean a rice yield of 4,750 kg per hectare in Venkitangu. According to the Kerala Government’s Economic Review 2016, the state’s average rice productivity is 2,790 kg per hectare.

Also Read: “No Water for the Past 12 Days”- Kerala Stares at Severe Drought

Drastic Drop

A deficit south-west monsoon in 2016 followed by a near-absent north-east monsoon has caused a drastic drop in the flow of fresh water into the system. With upstream reservoirs going down to their dead storage water levels during this year’s harsh summer, the authorities first rationed and have now almost stopped releasing fresh water into the system.

Since the truant monsoon played havoc with the calendar for opening and closing the shutter of the barrages, there has been an inward movement of saline water into the paddy fields, adding to the agony of the farmers.

“This is the worst, longest-lasting drought that I have seen in my lifetime,” said MR Mohanan, president of the Manalur Kole Farmers’ Association. “Even though we have had droughts before, they did not last this long and were never so severe,” said the 62-year-old farmers’ representative.

According to the Economic Review, during 2016-17 Kerala had a deficit of 34% during the south-west monsoon (1352.3 mm instead of the average of 2039.7 mm) and a deficit of 62% during the north-east monsoon (185.0 mm instead of 480.7 mm).

The erratic monsoon caused confusion in the barrage management calendar, which in turn caused the inflow of saline water from the estuary.

Even though the south-west monsoon did not live up to the expectations of the farmers, the irrigation department authorities expected the north-east monsoon to be normal, and thus did not take the necessary precautions.

K Manoj, software professional and Kole farmer

Also Read: Another Farmer Commits Suicide in Drought-hit Karnataka

Delay in Embanking

To prevent salt water from coming in during the dry season, the irrigation department constructs a temporary earthen bund (embankment) on the inner side of the barrages. In 2016-17, these bunds were not constructed on time, adding to the problem. For instance, at Enamavu, where the largest barrage in Thrissur district is located, the earthen bund was constructed only by February, whereas it should have been up by December, Mohanan said. He added:

The construction and breaking of the earthen bund is an annual feature that costs a lot of money. But unfortunately, it is not done taking into consideration the special requirements of each year.

“This year, we have petitioned irrigation department officials and the district collector to let the bund stand till the time there is enough evidence that the monsoon is going to be normal,” he said.

The dry agricultural fields in Pullu. (Photo Courtesy: S Gopikrishna Warrier/The Village Square)

Some of the farmers want the bund to be a dynamic structure whose height and water flow can be controlled according to the requirement of each year.

We had suggested that the top layers of the bund be made out of sand bags, so that they can be removed and added as required without breaking the bund every year.

CV Vasanth, resident of Enamavu and public works contractor

“Every year, good soil is brought in for the bund and then later it is broken and the soil is flushed into the sea. Expensive and precious soil is lost in the process every year. An alternative method has to be worked out to stop this annual build-and-destroy,” added Unnikrishnan.

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For the farmers, it is more important to prevent drying and salinisation of paddy fields rather than receiving compensation, he observed. “Even though the government intervenes, it is more enthusiastic about giving compensation to farmers rather than taking efforts to prevent problems from arising in the first place.”

Protecting the Kole Ecosystem

Protecting the Kole ecosystem also means protecting the water sources of the adjoining habitations, because of the strong positive impact that these wetlands on the percolation of fresh water to the aquifer. Traversing from the ridge height of above 1,000 metres to the sea in less than 150 km, the rivers in Kerala flow quickly. Ecosystems such as the Kole wetlands help slow the water and recharge aquifers.

“The Kole wetlands are a dynamic ecosystem where environmentally sound human interference is necessary,” observed PO Nameer, head of wildlife research at the College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur.

“Due to the agricultural practices, an ecosystem has been created in the Kole wetlands. This has a high biological diversity and also supports high productivity in agriculture,” he added.

The key to the preservation of this ecosystem is ensuring the balance between fresh water and saline water. The current drought has threatened that balance.