Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala, shifting completely to organic farming is a distant dream. But, there are signs of paddy farmers adopting good agricultural practices, albeit gradually.
A study conducted by the Kerala Centre for Pest Management (KCPM), a pest surveillance unit under the Department of Agriculture, at Mankombu has found no traces of pesticides in paddy samples collected from different parts of Kuttanad during the last ‘puncha’ crop season. The samples were tested at a lab attached to the College of Agriculture, Vellayani.
Five samples
Officials said that “no traces of chemical residues” in the samples did not mean the farmers have totally abandoned the use of chemicals but have shifted to new generation pesticides which have very low levels of toxicity. “We collected five samples — four from paddy fields sprayed with insecticides following brown planthopper attacks and one from an organic field — around 10 days before the harvest. No chemicals were found in the samples. This shows the farmers have shifted from systemic insecticides to contact insecticides. While contact insecticide remains on the plant’s surface, the systemic one penetrates and moves throughout the entire plant and is more harmful,” said Smitha B., assistant director, KCPM.
Impact on water, soil
While the grain is free of pesticides, officials said that more studies were needed to ascertain the impact of new generation chemicals on water and soil. “The farmers are still using pesticides, but overall there is a drastic decline in their use in recent times. People are more conscious of the health hazards of the chemicals. Earlier, they tended to use plant protection chemicals very often even before a pest attack. That has changed and they are only using pesticides recommended by us and that too if needed. Awareness has played a very important role in minimising the use of chemicals,” Ms. Smitha said.
There is an increase in the number of natural enemies of pests such as predators and parasitoids in Kuttanad fields, which according to officials is a sign of decreasing use of chemical pesticides. Predators found in fields in Kuttanad include ground beetle, ladybird beetle, long-horned grasshopper and different types of spiders. Parasitoids commonly found are telenomus, cotesia, and xanthopimpla.
A designated Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System by the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Kuttanad has come under increased stress due to environmental pollution. Although there are positive signs on the pesticide front, Agriculture Department officials said that indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers was rampant across the region.
“Shifting paddy cultivation entirely to an organic way is not possible under the current circumstances. We are, however, ready to adopt good agriculture practices by reducing the use of chemicals. The government should ensure good price and market for the produce,” said V.T. Vinod Kumar, a paddy farmer from Kainakary.
