Ducks die in large number in Kuttanad

Ducks die in large number in Kuttanad

Subject: Environment

Context: Although the exact cause of the death of ducks is yet to be ascertained, officials said that bacterial infection could be the reason.

Concept:

Kuttanad

• Kuttanad is a delta region of about 900 sq. km situated in the west coast of Kerala State, India.
• The area is a larger mosaic of fragmented landscape patches and varied ecosystems such as coastal backwaters, rivers, vast stretches of paddy fields, marshes, ponds, garden lands, edges, corridors and remarkably networked water ways.
• The Kuttanad Below Sea-level Farming System (KBSFS) is unique, as it is the only system in India that practices rice cultvation below sea level.
• The major land use structure of KBSFS is flat stretches of rice fields in about 50,000 ha of mostly reclaimed delta swamps.
• The rice fields, which are popularly known as “PunchaVayals” exist in three landscape elements: Karapadam (upland rice fields), Kayal (wetland rice fields) and Kari (land buried with black coal like materials).
• Farmers of Kuttanad have developed and mastered the spectacular technique of below sea level cultivation over 150 year ago.
• They made this system unique as it contributes remarkably well to the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services including several livelihood services for local communities.
• It is one of the three recognized GIAHS sites in India by FAO.
• Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) was started by the FAO to safeguard and support the world’s agricultural heritage systems.Three recognized GIAHS sites in India:
• Kuttanad below Sea Level Farming System of Kerala.
• Koraput Traditional Agriculture of Odisha.
• Pampore Saffron Heritage of Kashmir.