Proceedings Kerala Environment Congress 2012 Kerala Agriculture and Environment KERALAKERALA Proceedings ENVIRENVIRONMENTONMENT CCONGRESSONGRESS 22OO11 2 2 16th, 17th & 18th August 2012 at Thiruvananthapuram Organised by Centre for Environment and Development Thozhuvancode, Vattiyoorkavu P.O, Thiruvananthapuram-695 013, Kerala Phone : 0471-2369720, 2369721, Fax : 0471-2369720 E-mail : [email protected], [email protected] URL : www.cedindia.org; www.indiawastemanagementportal.org Centre for Environment and Development In Association with CED Eastern Regional Centre Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology At: Naranpur, P.O. Belagachhia, Dist. Cuttack-753 001, Odisha Phone : 0674-2726132, E-mail: [email protected] Sponsored by Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India & Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment PROCEEDINGS OF KERALA ENVIRONMENT CONGRESS 2012 FOCAL THEME agricUltURE AND ENVIRONMENT 16th, 17th & 18th August 2012 at RGCB Auditorium, Thiruvananthapuram Organised by CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT AND DeveloPMENT THIRUVANANTHAPURAM In Association with Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram Sponsored by Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India & Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment Proceedings of the Kerala Environment Congress - 2012 Editors Dr T Sabu Dr Vinod T R Dr M Subramonia Iyer Dr C Bhaskaran Dr Babu Ambat Published by Centre for Environment and Development Thozhuvancode, Vattiyoorkavu Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India-695013 Design & Pre-press Godfrey’s Graphics Sasthamangalam, Thiruvananthapuram Printed at GK Printers, Kochi Cover photo courtesy: Deviant Art K R JYOTHILAL, IAS SECRETARY FOREWORD The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (2012) known as Rio+20 commemorating the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Earth Submit resulting in the document “The Future We Want” marks a renewed effort to embark on ways of “greening” the global economy and evolving institutional framework for sustainable development. Appropriate management of our limited resources will be necessary to ensure food security for our growing population and to eliminate poverty. It is imperative to seek a more scientific planning for proper area wise utilization of all the available resources and their sensible management at the State and local level. Agriculture continues to be the most important and largest sector of the Kerala’s economy. Kerala contributes a substantial share to the national economy with respect to four plantation crops viz. rubber, tea, coffee and cardamom. These constitute 29% of the net cropped area. Even though agriculture remains the major contributor to the state’s economy, it has been showing a declining trend both in terms of area under crops and productivity except for Rubber. The most significant changes affecting agriculture are the shrinking of area under food crops, the change in land use pattern and land degradation. The most alarming cause of land degradation includes rapid urbanization leading to conversion of good agricultural lands for other purposes, cultivated lands exposed to indiscriminate use of fertilizers and pesticides, soil erosion and loss of soil microflora and fauna affecting the quality of the soil, etc. Agriculture and environment are inextricably connected. The goal of agricultural policy has been higher production and increased efficiency, but continued increase in production has only been possible through intensification of the farming system which many times involved the clearance of native forests, the introduction of selected or novel crop varieties, increasing use and dependence upon artificial irrigational and chemical aids to soil fertility, crop protection, and food harvest, storage and processing, with a simultaneous increase of pollution risks. Integrating environmental concerns into the Agricultural Policy aims to head off the risks of environmental degradation General Administration, Agriculture and Parliamentary Affairs Department, Government of Kerala, Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram-695 001 Phone-Office : 2320311, 2518669 Res: 2315656, 2470301 Fax : 2320311 Mobile : 9447744200 e-mail : [email protected] Kerala Environment Congress 2012 Thiruvananthapuram and enhancing the sustainability of agro-ecosystems. What is of great significance is integrating the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs as well as at local level activities. The scientific community, academicians, experts in the agriculture sector, policy makers, civil society and media has a significant role to play in this context. It is in this context that the Kerala Environment Congress organized by Centre for Environment and Development become highly relevant. The eighth KEC which will be held from 16th to 18th August, 2012 at Thiruvananthapuram aims at highlighting the recent advances in agriculture. The Centre for Environment and Development has once again achieved the distinction of focusing on the linkage of science, technology and the most important aspect of human environment for sustainable development. This Proceedings Volume which contains detailed reviews and papers prepared by eminent experts in the concerned fields related to the focal theme “Agriculture and Environment” will be useful in strengthening the information base of the agencies involved in the agriculture development of the country and the State of Kerala in particular. The inputs from the participants on technologies, processes and societal role in agriculture development and related food security issues offer deeper insight into the issues and thus options for consideration in the State. Information will be helpful in appreciation of relevant facts for formulation of agriculture and environment related policies in a more objective manner. K.R.Jyothilal, IAS Secretary, Agriculture, Government of Kerala & Vice Chancellor, Kerala Agricultural University iv KERALA ENVIRONMENT CONGRESS-2012 The Centre for Environment and Development(CED)initiated the Kerala Environment Congress in 2005 with the objective of bringing together scientists and technologists, policy planners,decision makers, development managers and students for sharing of knowledge, expertise and experience in subjects of relevance to support the development of the country. An autonomous research, training and consultancy organization established in 1993, CED has been focussing both on environment and development related sectors bringing complementarity, leading to sustainable development . CED has wide network and collaboration with many state, national and international agencies. The major Program Areas of the Centre are (i) Natural Resources Management (ii) Water and Environmental Sanitation,(iii) Coastal Systems Research (iv) Climate Change Studies (v) Energy Studies (vi) Geoinformatics (vii) Natural Disaster Management and (viii) Institutional Development, Innovation and Policy Studies. CED established its Eastern Regional Campus at Bhubaneswar, Orissa to give major thrust to our activities in the east and north-eastern states. CED has also became a partner of the HDF-CED School of Management at Bhubaneswar. The Centre has at present nearly 280 staff from different disciplines.CED is the “Centre of Excellence of Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India on Solid Waste and Wastewater Management”, the “Regional Resource Agency” of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India and also the Accredited Agency of Government of Kerala for Solid Waste Management. The Centre has its activities in the states of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand apart from Kerala. CED has been involved in a major project for Capacity Building of Urban Local Bodies in the states of Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand sponsored by Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India.CED is also providing technical support to many urban local bodies in India for Water Supply Engineering, Solid Waste Management, Waste Water Management, Climate Change Studies, EIA Studies, Disaster Management, Carbon Foot Print Mapping, GIS Mapping etc. CED jointly with Human Development Foundation and Regional Museum of Natural History, Bhubaneswar conducted the Odisha Environment Congress in 2010 and 2011. CED plans to organize similar Environment Congresses in the states of Chattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh this year. During the last 19 years, CED has completed nearly 80 research, consultancy and training projects supported by various International and National Agencies like the World Bank, UNDP,GEF,JICA,RNE, IDRC, ADB, Commonwealth Local Government Forum, Ministry of Environment & Forests. Ministry of Urban Development, Department of Science & Technology. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Rural Development, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology & Environment. Local Self Government Department, Kerala, State Disaster Management Agency, Kerala, Planning & Coordination Department, Orissa, Orissa Water Resources Department, Department of Urban Development & Housing, Orissa etc. The Centre is also coordinating the National Environment Awareness Campaign(NEAC) of MoEF in Kerala and Lakshadweep Islands. v Kerala Environment Congress 2012 Thiruvananthapuram The Kerala Environment Congress was initiated in 2005, at Kochi, with the focal theme “Coastal and Marine Environment-Issues, Problems and Potentials”. The second Congress was held at Kozhikode in 2006 with the focal theme” Forest Resources of Kerala” and next