Kuttanad Backwaters - Kerala's Unique Below Sea Level Farmlands

The history of Kuttanad is linked to its unique geography. It was formed by centuries of silt deposition by rivers flowing from the Western Ghats. Much of the land was reclaimed from the Vembanad Lake for agriculture, a process that intensified in the 19th and 20th centuries. Farmers built external bunds and dewatered large areas to create paddy fields, known as 'padashekharams'. This ingenious, farmer-led engineering turned the region into a major rice producer. The Thanneermukkom Bund and Thottappally Spillway, built post-independence, were major interventions to regulate salinity and prevent flooding, further shaping the region's agricultural practices and ecology.

Kuttanad is globally significant for its unique agricultural system. It is one of the few places in the world where farming is practiced below sea level. In recognition of this, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has declared it a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). Its cultural importance lies in it being the heartland of Kerala's backwater tourism and the setting for the famous Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race. This region provides a living example of a community that has adapted its lifestyle, transport, and economy entirely around a water-based environment.