The Chief Minister was in the national capital in January seeking a greater allocation of rice to the State.
What is the reason for poor paddy cultivation in Kerala?
It is a reflection of the failure of public policy.
Labor cost - Initially men from agriculture sector migrated to gulf region in search of better opportunities.
As the higher incomes transformed the households socially, the women too withdrew from agriculture.
This hit paddy cultivation most because mostly women were traditionally in the planting and harvesting of paddy in the state.
The sector began to face severe labour shortage.
As a result the wage rose.
This made the cultivation of paddy no longer viable, as cheaper rice came in from the rest of India.
Land Ownership - In abolishing tenancy the land reforms had extinguished the traditional landlords.
But it did not inevitably transfer land to those who actually laboured on the field.
Many agricultural labourers would have not migrated if they also owned the land.
Leasing - Kerala is rare among the world’s economies where agricultural production actually declined after land reforms.
In theory this can be rectified, if those with the ownership of land but not wishing to cultivate leased it out.
But leasing was made unlawful by the land reform Act.
At the time of its legislation, tenants were vulnerable of eviction at will.
Therefore this archaic law currently holds more of a symbolic value.
The law discourages tenancy as unlawful but is positive about the alienation of agricultural land to other purposes.
Environment - The present natural environment in Kerala is less hospitable to agriculture of any kind, let alone paddy cultivation.
This is due to the depletion of groundwater and sand mining of the riverbeds. There has also been the alienation of agricultural land.
What should be done?
Kerala needs a land use policy that conserves every bit of its natural capital.
The State could consider acquiring all unused paddy land and making it available to the Adivasis on long-term lease.
It also should make amendment in its laws to enable leasing and consolidation of lands.
Public policy is likely to adapt only if political parties are pressurised by a citizenry.
Therefore citizen should also work towards improving the paddy cultivation by saving diversion of agricultural land to other purpose and the regeneration of degraded lands.
