CONTINGENCY PLAN TO TACKLE POSSIBLE

ADVERSE IMPACT OF DROUGHT IN THE

AGRICULTURAL SECTOR OF KERALA STATEKHARIF 2015

R.AJITH KUMAR
DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE, KERALA

KERALA AT A GLANCE
Location : `North
Latitude Between 8
- 18' and 12 - 48
East Longitude
Between 74 - 52'
and 77 - 22

KERALA AT A GLANCE

IRRIGATED AREA UNDER MAJOR CROPS ( , 000 HA)

RAIN FALL (KHARIF-2014)

METEOROLOGICAL CENTRE
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

1STJUNE2014TO30THSEPTEMBER2014

SUB
DIVISION
/DISTRICTS
KERALA
LAKSHADWEEP

Actual Rainfall Normal Rainfall

Percentage Departure (%)
(mm)
(mm)
2163.3
961

2039.7
998.5

6
-4

NORMAL
NORMAL

PRE-MONSOON RAINFALL 2014

METEOROLOGICAL CENTRE THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
1STMARCH2014TO31STMAY2014

SUB
Actual Rainfall
Normal
DIVISION
Percentage Departure (%)
(mm)
Rainfall (mm)
/DISTRICTS
KERALA
364.4
379.9
-4
NORMAL
LAKSHADWE
EP
76.7
232.4
-67
SCANTY
SEASONS RAINFALL 2015
1stMARCH2015TO27thMAY2015
SUB DIVISION
/DISTRICTS

Actual Rainfall Normal Rainfall

Percentage Departure (%)
(mm)
(mm)

KERALA

431.3

337.2

28

LAKSHADWEEP

196.7

188.3

EXCESS
NORMAL

MONSOON IN KERALA
Kerala receives rain fall through SouthWest Monsoon(Jun-Sep) - 70%
North- East monsoon(Oct-Dec) 16.4%
Pre Monsoon showers(Jan- May) 13.6%
Even though Kerala receives normal
annual rainfall, the monsoons in Kerala are
characterized by heavy rainfall with
intermittent dry spells affecting the
agricultural practices.

CROP SITUATION (Kharif 2015)

Paddy:
Kuttanad, Kole and Palakkad are the main Paddy growing areas.
70000 Ha are covered in the Kharif season.
Sowing/ nursery preparation has started in 8000 Ha.
As of date no estimated reduction in area coverage under paddy during
Kharif due to receipt of summer showers.
Paddy cultivation in Kuttanad (Alappuzha district), Kole region
(Thrissur and Malappuram) are taken up in the lands below sea level
where drainage and salinity are major problems.
About 1000 motor and pump sets (petti and para) are provided to these
regions for dewatering purpose.
In Palakkad, paddy is mainly rainfed during Kharif.
Approximately 40000 ha are irrigated during second crop season.

CROP SITUATION (Kharif 2015) contd

COCONUT: Major crop cultivated in an area of 8 lakh Ha in the State.
Cultural operations including fertilizer application and intercultivation
operations are being carried out by farmers during the season.
BANANA: Crop is in different stages of growth in the field.
PEPPER: New planting and intercultural operations are being carried out
by pepper farmers.
VEGETABLES: Crops are in different stages in the field. Normal
cultivation operations are carried out by farmers.

INPUT AVAILABILITY KHARIF

2015
Kerala requires 5600 MT
paddy seeds during Kharif
season. Required quantity of seeds have been made
available to paddy farmers in all the 14 districts through
KSSDA established under Department of Agriculture.
Duration of major paddy varieties preferred by farmers are Jyothi ( 110-120 days)
Uma (115-125 days)
Kanchana (105-110 days)
Red Triveni (100-105 days)

INPUT AVAILABITY DURING

KHARIF 2015
SEEDS

Kerala has buffer

stock of paddy
seeds available
with KSSDA
Variety
FS-II
Certified
(qtl.)

(qtl.)

Uma

320.10

9960.60

Jyothi

274.80

615.30

Kanchana

6.00

788.00

VTL-6
(pokkali)

--

51.90

600.90

11415.80

Total

INPUT AVAILABITY DURING

KHARIF 2015 (contd)
Procurement

of

seeds

of

short

duration,

drought/stress tolerant paddy varieties from RSGP

farmers in the state by KSSDA is continuing.
KSSDA has also taken measures to include short
duration/ stress tolerant paddy varieties in the
seed production chain(Seed Rolling Plan).
Vegetable seeds are also being procured and
distributed by KSSDA.

INPUT AVAILABITY DURING

KHARIF 2015 (contd)

FERTILIZERS:
Kerala has sufficient
allocation of
fertilizers

FERTILIZER AVAILABITY
DURING KHARIF 2015 (April
May)
Fertiliz Receipts
ers
(MT)

Sales
(MT)

Balance(
MT)

DAP

5647

1232

4415

MOP

13401

6366

7035

NPK

14395

13340

1055

Urea

25344

13211

12133

INPUT AVAILABITY DURING

KHARIF 2015 (contd)
POWER:
Free electricity for agricultural purpose
is available for small and marginal
farmers of the State. At present there
is no deficiency in this sector.

CONTINGENCY PLAN
Measures suggested for entire state:
In the eventuality of delayed SW Monsoon and
resultant drought situation the below mentioned
contingency plan has been worked out.
Buffer stock of 11415 qtl seeds are ensured for re
sowing through KSSDA.
Initiated action for
de silting the ponds and
irrigation/drainage
channels
in
the
paddy
field(padasekharam) in about 2 lakhs ha with
participation of farmers utilizing the services of
LSGD/MNREGS.
Fertilizers are made available to farmers through
local depots.

CONTINGENCY PLAN
CROP SPECIFIC SHORT TERM
MEASURES:
PADDY:

Direct seeding is propogated

instead of transplanting
wherever possible.
Short duration drought
tolerant varieties are being
provided to farmers.
Promoting irrigation during
critical stages instead of
continuous submergence.

CONTINGENCY PLAN
COCONUT AND ARECANUT
Homestead Farming is
being Promoted in
Kerala
Husk burial
Organic mulching
Green manuring
Intercropping with
banana and tuber crops.
The above activities are
propogated through
Keragramam scheme on
a cluster based approach.

CONTINGENCY PLAN
BANANA
Mulching
Scientific irrigation
practices.
Organic manuring
The above programmes
are being
implemented through
SHM Schemes.

Vegetables and Tubers

CONTINGENCY PLAN
VEGETABLES AND
TUBERS
Open precision farming
Organic manuring
Drip irrigation
Polyhouse farming for
vegetables (completed
1108 numbers of 40400 sqm capacity).

CONTINGENCY PLAN
LONG TERM MEASURES
Conservation of wetlands enacted Kerala
Conservation of Paddy Land and Wet land Act ,
2008.
Promote cultivation of coarse cereals and pulses
in district like Palakkad. Action plan for coarse
cereals in Palakkad for an amount of Rs.4 lakhs
has been submitted under NFSM to Govt of India
for approval .

CONTINGENCY PLAN
LONG TERM MEASURES
Promoting micro irrigation.
Potential and Actual Area Under Micro Irrigation ( ,
000 ha)

Potential Area

Actual Area

Drip

179

14.10

Sprinkler

35

2.50

Total

214

16.60

Additional Financial support from Government of

India is requested for Promoting Micro-irrigation
on a large scale among the farmers of Kerala.

Promoting Polyhouse Farming

CONTINGENCY PLAN
LONG TERM MEASURES (contd)
Promoting Polyhouse farming Polyhouse farming is effectively done in Kerala.
1108 polyhouses of size 40-400 sq.m are actively
engaged in crop production in Kerala.
Major vegetables being cultivated in poly houses
are Salad Cucumber, Capsicum, Cow pea, Bhindi,
Tomato etc

CONTINGENCY PLAN
LONG TERM MEASURES (contd)
Under vegetable development programme, Department has

implemented 896 units of micro irrigation with fertigation (0.2 ha

each) last year. The scheme is continuing this year also.
Installed 2256 irrigation pump sets and constructed 398 irrigation

wells covering an area of 265.4 Ha

Implemented 227 units of Rain shelter units for vegetable

cultivation last year.

Soil health card and fertilizer advisory- Department of Agriculture

has initiated a project in 2010 , whereby 2 lakh surface soil

samples were collected from farmers fields and soil test data
transmission through ICT applications ensured.

Promotion of Organic
Farming

CONTINGENCY PLAN
LONG TERM MEASURES (contd)
Promotion of ORGANIC FARMING:
Department of Agriculture has already initiated Organic farming in
selected districts.
Organic farming policy was declared in 2010 in Kerala State.
Subsequently Red and Yellow coloured pesticides were banned
in the State.
At present organic farming is being carried out

in 6000 Ha

(Kasargod district ) and 5800 Ha (Wayanad district) . In addition , an

area of 14279 ha

is covered under organic farming through SHM

scheme and 5500Ha through VFPCK schemes.

CONTINGENCY PLAN
LONG TERM MEASURES (contd)

Promotion of Crop Insurance (NCIP)

During 2014-15 MNAIS was implemented for Paddy,
Tapioca and Banana .
During 2014-15 WBCIS was implemented for Paddy,
Banana, Pepper , Ginger , Turmeric, Pineapple,
Cardamom, Sugarcane, Arecanut, Nutmeg, Cashew
and Mango.
During 2015-16,It is proposed to cover more area
under NCIP so that maximum farmers are benefitted.
A Comprehensive Paddy Insurance Scheme by
integrating with MNAIS and WBCIS is proposed to be
implemented from 2015-16 where additional
premium subsidy will be met by Government of
Kerala.

MAJOR INITIATIVES UNDER TAKEN FOR

MITIGATION OF DROUGHT (Department of
Soil Conservation)

MAJOR INITIATIVES UNDER TAKEN FOR MITIGATION

OF DROUGHT (Department of Soil Conservation)
Renovated 129 ponds expending an amount of
Rs.15.31 crores in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and
Alappuzha (13th FC)
Renovated 2837 wells for Rs.15.37 crores in
Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Alappuzha
Constructed

3550

Nos

of

logwood/masonry/concrete/ loose boulder check

dams for Rs. 10.35 Crores in Wayanad

MAJOR INITIATIVES UNDER TAKEN FOR MITIGATION

OF DROUGHT (Department of Soil Conservation)
Construction of 50 water harvesting Structures, 150

nos of Spring water collection/rain water harvesting

structures/ ring ponds- 13.5 Crores under NABARD
assisted RIDF project in 126 watersheds.

25 water harvesting structures under eco restoration

programme for vulnerable Tribal Colonies in Thrissur,

Palakkad,

Malappuram,

Rs.1.50 Crores.

Wayanad

and

Kasargod

MAJOR INITIATIVES UNDER TAKEN FOR

MITIGATION OF DROUGHT (Department of
Soil Conservation)

For

augmenting

vegetable

cultivation

in

Kanthallur and Vattavada in Idukki 5 nos of

waterharvesting

structures/checkdams

constructed- Rs.50 lakhs

15

water

harvesting

structures/ponds

in

Mullankolly, Pulpally and Koothadi panchayats in

Wayanad district with RKVY funding- Rs.63 lakhs

MAJOR INITIATIVES PROPOSED FOR

MITIGATION OF DROUGHT (Department of
Soil Conservation)
2015-16 projects
Proposal for renovation of 56 ponds in Palakkad
district for Rs.15.76 Crores is under consideration
by NABARD

Soil conservation activities proposed for Rs. 30

Crores in 120 RIDF projects through out the State.

MAJOR INITIATIVES PROPOSED FOR

MITIGATION OF DROUGHT (Department of
Soil Conservation)
2015-16 projects
Renovation of 250 ponds for Rs.10.68 crores and
renovation of wells for Rs.1.52 Crores is nearing
completion under Kuttanad package.

45 water harvesting structures/ponds in

Mullankolly, Pulpally and Koothadi panchayats in
Wayanad district with RKVY funding- Rs.2.61
Crores.

MAJOR INITIATIVES PROPOSED FOR

MITIGATION OF DROUGHT (Department of
Soil Conservation)

2015-16 projects

Under NMSA 9 nos of water harvesting structures

in Kannur, Wayanad and Thrissur districts for Rs.
100 lakhs.
All the soil and water conservation activities aim
at insitu conservation of rainwater and helps in
reducing the impact of drought.

Assistance anticipated from

Government of INDIA

For promoting micro irrigation

Sahasra Sarovar Renovation of Ponds in

1000 Panchayaths of the state

Deepening of irrigation/Drainage Channels in

and around padasekharams (wet lands under Rs.300 Crores
Paddy cultivation) in an area of 2.00 lakh Ha

Rs.50 Crores

Rs.250 Crores

THANK
YOU