Paddy is not just a crop in Kerala; it is the foundation on which the state’s food culture, water systems, and rural civilization were built. Yet today, rice cultivation in Kerala stands at a crossroads. Annual production has fallen to around six to seven lakh tonnes, far below the state’s consumption needs, making Kerala heavily dependent on rice imports from other states. Kerala Vision 2047 must therefore treat paddy not as a declining legacy sector, but as a strategic pillar of food security, climate resilience, and ecological stability.
The decline of paddy cultivation is driven by multiple factors. Fragmented landholdings, rising labor costs, low profitability, flooding, and conversion of paddy fields for real estate have all played a role. Many farmers see rice cultivation as economically irrational, despite its cultural and environmental importance. Vision 2047 must correct this imbalance by redefining the value of paddy beyond market price alone, recognizing its role in flood control, groundwater recharge, biodiversity conservation, and rural employment.
Food security must be the starting point. Kerala currently imports the majority of its rice, exposing the state to price volatility, supply disruptions, and interstate political risks. By 2047, Kerala should aim to significantly raise domestic rice production, not necessarily to full self-sufficiency, but to a level where basic food security is guaranteed. This requires protecting existing paddy land at all costs and bringing abandoned but viable fields back into cultivation through targeted incentives and institutional support.
Climate change makes paddy both more vulnerable and more valuable. Floods, erratic rainfall, and salinity intrusion threaten yields, especially in Kuttanad, Kole lands, and coastal belts. At the same time, paddy fields act as natural sponges, absorbing excess rainwater and reducing urban flooding. Vision 2047 should reframe paddy fields as part of Kerala’s climate infrastructure. Farmers maintaining paddy land should be compensated not just for rice produced, but for ecosystem services such as flood mitigation and water conservation.
Technology must play a transformative role in making paddy viable again. Precision land leveling, direct-seeded rice, mechanized transplanting, and drone-based monitoring can reduce labor dependence and input costs. Climate-resilient and short-duration rice varieties suited to Kerala’s diverse agro-climatic zones must be scaled rapidly. By 2047, paddy cultivation should be data-enabled, with real-time advisories on weather, pests, and irrigation delivered directly to farmers at the panchayat level.
Institutional farming models are essential in a state dominated by small and fragmented holdings. Individual farmers cannot bear the cost of machinery, storage, or market access alone. Vision 2047 must expand cooperative farming, farmer producer organizations, and collective leasing models that allow scale efficiencies without alienating land ownership. Group farming among women, already successful in parts of Kerala, should be strengthened and linked to assured procurement mechanisms.
Pricing and procurement policies will determine farmer confidence. If paddy farmers are unsure of timely procurement and fair prices, no technological solution will sustain the sector. Kerala Vision 2047 should ensure predictable procurement at remunerative prices, faster payments, and reduced bureaucratic friction. Beyond minimum support prices, bonus payments linked to quality, water conservation, or organic practices can incentivize better outcomes.
Value addition in rice remains largely untapped. Most of Kerala’s rice is sold as undifferentiated grain, while consumer demand is shifting towards traditional varieties, unpolished rice, and health-focused products. By 2047, Kerala should position its indigenous rice varieties as premium products for urban, health-conscious, and diaspora markets. Branding rice based on geography, taste, and nutritional value can significantly increase farmer incomes without increasing acreage.
Urbanization must be integrated into the paddy strategy rather than positioned against it. Cities expanding into paddy belts have worsened flooding and drainage problems. Vision 2047 should mandate the protection of paddy fields around urban centers as ecological buffers. Urban local bodies should contribute financially to the maintenance of these fields, recognizing their role in protecting cities from climate risks.
Labor dignity is central to the revival of paddy cultivation. Farming must no longer be seen as a symbol of rural stagnation. By 2047, paddy cultivation should offer stable incomes, mechanized working conditions, and skilled roles in farm management, logistics, and quality control. Youth engagement programs, agricultural entrepreneurship models, and agri-tech startups focused on rice systems can make paddy relevant to a new generation.
By 2047, paddy in Kerala should stand on three strong pillars: food security, ecological resilience, and economic dignity. Rice fields should once again define Kerala’s landscape, not as relics of the past, but as living infrastructure supporting climate adaptation, rural livelihoods, and sovereign control over food. Reviving paddy is not nostalgia; it is strategic realism for a state facing climate uncertainty and global supply risks.
