Revival of paddy farming in Kattamudikudy after 40 years leads to the launch of a tribal rice brand

Revival of paddy farming in Kattamudikudy, Idukki, after 40 years, creating a tribal rice brand, Kunjippetty Ari.

Taking cue from the success of Punarjeevanam, a pioneering initiative revitalising millet cultivation in Idukki, paddy farming in Kattamudikudy too has seen a remarkable revival.

Paddy farming in Kattamudikudy, Idukki, has seen a revival after a 40-year hiatus. Farming restarted here in 2018 with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Later, it expanded across a 20-acre plot deep inside the forest after collaboration with agencies like the Salim Ali Foundation, ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), and Haritha Keralam Mission, among others. This effort has led to the creation of a tribal rice brand, “Kunjippetty Ari,” which will soon hit the market.

The initiative is a collaborative effort involving the Haritha Keralam Mission, Tribal Development department, Agriculture department, Salim Ali Foundation, ICAR-KVK, Kudumbashree Mission, Way to Village Farm Tourism, MNREGA scheme, and the Adimaly grama panchayat.

Earlier, farming deep inside the forest in Kattamudikudy had provided food security to the Muthuvan tribe, who are living in Ward 4 of the Adimaly grama panchayat. Thanks to the concerted efforts, farming here has been fully restored.

Jayesh Vanarajan, president, Kattamudikudy Padasekhara Samithi, said that 70 Muthuvan tribal families live in the settlement.

“We cultivate traditional paddy varieties like Kunjunni, S4, and Kuruva. Since paddy cultivation is being done in the deep forest, farmers conduct round-the-clock monitoring to prevent wild animal attacks. The harvested paddy will be marketed under the Kunjippetty Ari brand. Next year, we aim to expand the farming further and also develop tourism programmes here with government support,” said Mr. Vanarajan.

As part of the collaborative efforts, the KVK provided technical assistance, distributed lime for soil reclamation, and supplied fertilizers to boost productivity. To diversify farming practices, the KVK also introduced fish fingerlings and vegetable seeds, promoting integrated and sustainable farming.