POKKALI

Pokkali - Millenia old GI-Tagged Organic Rice Farming Heritage of Kerala

Pokkali is the oldest indigenous rice variety that has 3000 years of organic cultivation and climate resilience history. The journey of Pokkali rice began from a flood, where earlier Pokkali was wild rice that was seen in the western ghats of India and was carried by the flood to low-lying coastal saline areas. All the climatic stress was overcome in this great journey and it developed resistance to flood and salinity. It is grown in the water-logged, coastal regions of Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Alappuzha districts in Kerala and is well known for its flood, saline tolerance, and high nutritional value. The rice got its name Pokkali, because of its notable height, which can grow up to 6 feet. In Malayalam, Pokkali is a term used to describe someone who dominates in height over others. Pokkali rice cultivation alternated with extensive aquaculture is known as Pokkali farming. In Kerala, when the southwest monsoons wash the salinity of the tiny soil mounds made in the fields, is the ideal time to start Pokkali paddy cultivation, it is carried out over 6 months which begins in May for soil preparation, June for sowing, July for Spreading and ends in October for harvesting, which is the first season. In the second season, which runs from November to April, prawns/fish are produced in the same field. During harvest, panicles are cut, and the remaining parts are left in the field, where they eventually serve as feed for fish farming. Source: Kerala Government Department of Agriculture Development & Farmers’ Welfare Farm Information Bureau. Kerala Karshakan e-journal November 2022
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Current Status

Urgent targeted actions are needed from all those with goodwill (farm owners, laborers, citizens, govt officials, political parties, others) to reverse the current alarming state of Pokkali farming neglect dominated by year round Prawn-only farming that threatens extinction of centuries old traditional heirloom Pokkali seeds and organic farming heritage of Kerala. A decade of well intentioned but ineffective policies including crop loss compensations and promoting genetically modified non-native seeds has lead to the current alarming decline in Pokkali farming. Crop loss is declared within days of sowing citing cliched reasons of bad weather, birds, no labor, no market etc to claim compensation and revert back to Prawn farming during Pokkali farming season. Pokkali tourism incentives are also ineffective without any Pokkali cultivation to be seen anywhere. Instead, incentives for a successful cultivation and harvesting of traditional organic Pokkali crop that commands premium market value are needed for farmers. Following good faith initiatives are being actively pursued to enable economic opportunities for the farming community and to revive the storied Pokkali Organic Agriculture Heritage of Kerala and an Organic Agriculture Treasure of India.
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Enforce April-14th Pokkali Farm Draining

Enforce District Collector's PLDA directive to Pokkali Padasekharam Committee Officials, farm owners and sluice controllers to drain Pokkali farms completely by April-14th to prepare farms for traditional Pokkali cultivation. Directives to Krishi Bhavan Agriculture Officer, LSG Panchayath President, ADA and DDA to report non-compliance by farm owners who sow seeds only for namesake in less than 5% of farm and submit misleading photos and reasons to claim free govt crop loss compensation and subsidies to then improperly continue Prawn Farming.
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Revive Fallow Farms

Identify and catalog all active and fallow farm lands with associated farm ownership, sluice ownership and area details to facilitate revival of traditional Pokkali cultivation. Identify fallow farm areas best suited for seed multiplication effort. Regularize tax records, ownership deeds and contact details of all farm owners. Drive revival of traditional Pokkali cultivation in fallow farms by identifying farm areas for seed multiplication cultivation and provide required resource and support.
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Allocate MGNREG Resources

Directive to prioritize and allocate MGNREGA Thozhil Oruppu funds and Labor for revival of fallow Pokkali farm lands in coastal Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Thrissur to preserve organic Pokkali farming heritage of Kerala. Allocation of labor and resources to incrementally revitalize atleast 20% of fallow farm lands annually for cultivation.
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Develop Competitive Market

Market GI Tagged traditional Organic Certified Nutrient Rich Heirloom Pokkali Rice at competitive pricepoints of Rs 100/Kg Seeds and Rs 200/Kg Rice comparable to Organic Basmati rice and equivalents. Set up profitable Minimum Support Prices for farmers. Ensure only rice cultivated from traditional heirloom seeds in these coastal Pokkali clay farms (not inland farms) are branded as authentic Pokkali.
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Genome Database

Generate Genomic DNA Sequence database for all existing traditional Pokkali rice seeds (past and present) exclusively from coastal clay Pokkali farm lands of Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Thrissur districts that represent authentic GI Tagged Organic Pokkali cultivation to enable rapid classification, authentication, preservation and revival. Authentic heirloom Pokkali rice is GI-tagged to be only those harvested continuously over millenia from farm lands of central coastal Kerala. Studies with misrepresented specimens such as Bengal Pokkali or Vyttila-x genetically modified varieties grown in other inland regions do not represent authentic Pokkali.
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Seed Vault

Deploy low cost air, temperature, humidity, moisture, condensation, light and pest controlled modern version of classic Kerala Pathayam seed vault (not just storage) to preserve all heirloom traditional Pokkali seed varieties for a minimum of 2 cultivation seasons. Eliminates risk of extinction of seeds due to crop loss in consequitive seasons triggered by any external natural calamity or human negligence. Only for traditional seeds (Chettivirippu, Cheruvirippu, Choottu, Athikiramundakan, other) harvested from coastal Pokkali clay farms (not inland) of Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Thrissur districts. Proven low cost solutions used in tropical regions of south asia.
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Seed Exchange

Create an active real time online Seed Exchange database of available traditional seed variety, quantity, price and contact information for Pokkali farmers in Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Thrissur districts. Promote incentive for farmers to allocate a portion of their successful annual harvest to the Seed Exchange to enable revitalizing other fallow lands.
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Cultivation Costs

Detailed cost breakdown of fully Organic Pokkali crop cultivation and harvesting using traditional methods and local labor. Derived from a successful Pokkali farming done in 2024. Cost per Kg of seeds, rice grains and downstream derivative products. Cost allocations for key steps including Seeds, Transport, Vellam Pidikkal, Chera Vettal, Nilam Unakkal, Nilam marakkal, Thodu Valikkal, Kelakkal, Vithakkal, Niratthal, {Attakili Nilakkozhi, Eli-vettal, Chaazhi} nottam, Koyitthu, Transport, Kettu Kalam, Unakkal, Chettal, Vithu maattal, Puzhungal, Unakkal, Methikkal, Chettal, Bagging etc.
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Successful Pokkali Farming

Successful organic cultivation and harvesting of traditional Chettivirippu Pokkali without any fertilizers or pesticides was achieved during the 2024 farming season at Ezhikkara, validating the exceptionally nutrient rich and naturally organic Pokkali farmlands of coastal Kerala. Minimal impact of Attakkili, Neelakkozhi, Thattha, Eli-vettal or Chaazhi etc were observed and successfully mitigated using effective time tested traditional deterrance mechanisms. Validates continuing viability of centuries old traditional organic farming methods.
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Tide Times for Kochi and surrounding coastal Kerala