Kerala Agricultural University maps an important paddy-producing region through its Atlas of Kole Lands of Kerala

Agriculture Minister P. Prasad releases the atlas on Wednesday. It contains a wealth of GIS maps and data, recommends measures for increasing the yield and income from the indispensable rice-growing region spread out over two districts in the State

Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has produced a unique atlas of the ‘kole’ paddy lands, which, in addition to containing a wealth of GIS maps and data, recommends measures for increasing the yield and income from the indispensable rice-growing region spread out over two districts in the State.

The third largest paddy-producing region in the southern State, the kole lands covering 13,362 hectares in Thrissur and Malappuram districts are detailed in two volumes in the Atlas of Kole Lands of Kerala — ‘Kole’ being the Malayalam word for a ‘high return’ or a ‘bumper yield,’ according to the authors of the work.

A product of a State-funded GIS-based mapping project implemented at KAU’s Communication Centre, Mannuthy, the atlas provides a foundational understanding and challenges of Kole land farming in the first volume, while the second features GIS maps at the block, panchayat and ‘Paadasekharam’ levels.

Listing out a set of ‘action points’ for improving kole land paddy cultivation, the work recommends the need for focussed research and a ‘production incentive’ for farmers in order to guarantee an assured yield of more than 10,000 kg per hectare of kole land in 120 days with added resistance to pests and diseases.

Rice productivity

Rice productivity in the Thrissur-Ponnani (Malappuram district) kole lands is currently around 5,333 kg per hectare.

“It is very much below the potential yield, which in many cases is around 7,500 kg per hectare. So, popularising production protocols to improve the yield from the Kole lands is very important,” the work notes, suggesting the introduction of a  production incentive for farmers or Padasekharams who produce more than 5,500 kg per hectare.

Productivity can significantly be improved by addressing infrastructure deficits, ensuring sustainable soil and water management and newer production technologies, the work notes. Measures recommended include the construction of permanent regulators (the Enamakkal and Idiyanchira regulators are more than 50 years old), a separate budget head and a single agency for the annual maintenance of irrigation canals, efficient soil tests and research into new , high-yield varieties of rice suited to the Kole ecosystem.

The atlas also observed that the ‘double crop’ concept mooted for the Kole lands continue to remain on paper, although this was “the main purpose of commissioning the Chimoni dam.” The first crop can be rice, and the second, pulses, thus improving soil health. But the concept does not work because the rice crop is planted only by November-end, with the harvest in April. This leaves little or no time for another crop.

“Instead, if we can plant the first crop by the middle of September through a crop calendar, this problem can be solved. Later, without losing the soil moisture, pulse crops can be grown for 75 days,” the work notes.

Minister for Agriculture P. Prasad released the book here on Wednesday. A KAU team consisting of Sunil V.G. (Principal Investigator of the project), Abhilash Nandan, Asish Benny and Aswathi Krishna was behind the three-year effort which produced the atlas.

“In creating this atlas, the authors have meticulously combined scientific research, local knowledge and cartographic expertise. Their efforts bring the kole lands into clearer focus and offer a guide to understanding Kerala’s unique ecological treasures,” Jacob John, Director of Extension, KAU, said in the preface to the work.

Published - November 27, 2024 06:07 pm IST