Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges &
Opportunities during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
production and market, changes in family structure, wage structure and labour policies,
migration, food security assurance programmes and urbanization.
The implementation of land reform acts led to extreme land fragmentation, which impacted the
scale of production turning agriculture into a low-profit venture. This also resulted in an
alienation from farming, a shift to less labour-intensive crops and increased agricultural land
fallowing (Kumar and Harilal, 2014). The wage rate in Kerala is higher than the average
national wage rate. This has resulted in higher rates of land conversion, especially among
marginal farmers, from labour-intensive crops like paddy to less labour-intensive crops.
Change in family structure from joint to nuclear family resulted in the redistribution of
property, which led to the fragmentation of the land holdings and reduced family labour supply.
Migration has resulted in absentee landlordism, and land has become a speculative asset.
Migration from other states to Kerala could not contribute much to the agriculture sector. There
are 31.5 lakhs migrant labourers in the state, out of which only 2.9 lakhs are employed in
agriculture (Parida and Raman, 2021). The strong network of assured food supply through the
public distribution system made food crops a less priority sector in agriculture. Urbanization
in Kerala has also led to increased land value, agricultural land conversions and an increased
number of built-ups.
The primary ecological determinants of farmland transition in Kerala are climate change,
edaphic factors, invasive weeds and pests. Non-uniform rainfall patterns, extreme dry spells,
floods and landslides limit farming activities. However, concerted efforts have been made to
combat the receding agricultural land in the state. The major programmes and policies in
response to changing land use in the state include the Kerala conservation of paddy land and
wetland act (2008), agro ecological zone-based planning and development (2012), Haritha
Keralam Mission (2016), Subhiksha Keralam (2021) and Njangalum krishiyilekk (2022).
Conclusion
Significant changes in agriculture land use in Kerala are conversion of food crops to cash crops
area, conversion to non-agricultural purposes, and increased land fallow. Social and ecological
determinants influence land use decisions. It could be concluded that agriculture needs to be
considered as a socio-ecological system wherein a balance between social and environmental
determinants is required to attain long-term sustainability.
References
GoK [Government of Kerala]. 2022. Economic Review 2021. Kerala State Planning Board,
Government of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, 65pp.
Kumar, E G., and Harilal, C.C., 2014. Land reforms and agrarian relations in the state of Kerala,
India - a socio-economic evaluation. Ind. J. Ecol. 41, (2): 344-348.
855 | Page Institutional and policy innovations for accelerated and enhanced impacts