India’s farmers mastered below-sea-level farming over 150 years ago!
In Kerala’s Kuttanad region, farmers have been cultivating rice on land lying approximately 1-2 metres below sea level for over 150 years! Kuttanad is a low-lying delta and wetland region in Kerala, extending across parts of Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts. It is surrounded by the backwaters of Vembanad Lake and a network of rivers and canals. The area is often called the ‘Rice Bowl of Kerala’ because of its extensive paddy cultivation.
What makes it exceptional is that much of its agricultural land lies below sea level, presenting farmers with two major problems: seasonal flooding and saltwater intrusion. Instead of abandoning these wetlands, generations of farmers developed methods of managing water so that rice could be cultivated on the exposed soil.
During the 19th century, local communities constructed protective earthen embankments, known as bunds, and used traditional water wheels called chakrams to drain excess water from enclosed fields. These reclaimed agricultural lands, known as kayalnilams, enabled rice cultivation in places otherwise submerged by backwaters. The practice expanded significantly after 1865, when the princely state of Travancore encouraged land reclamation.
Remarkably, this centuries-old system continues today, supporting farming and wetland livelihoods in one of India’s most unusual agricultural landscapes. In 2013, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization recognised the ‘Kuttanad Below Sea Level Farming System’ as a ‘Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System’.