Question

At which place in Kerala rice is cultivated below the sea level?
a.Kuttanad
b.Ernakulam
c.Kasaragod
d.Palakkad

Answer 1

Hint: Rice can thrive in either a wet/paddy or a dry environment. Around 75% of the universal rice production comes from irrigated rice systems because most rice varieties convey their full output capacity when water supply is sufficient.

Complete Answer:
a. Kuttanad is a delta region of about 900 sq. km located in the west coast of Kerala,India.
- The region is a larger mosaic of fragmented landscape patches and diversified ecosystems such as coastal backwaters, large stretches of paddy fields, marshes, ponds, garden lands, corridors and incredibly networked waterways.
- The Kuttanad Below Sea-level Farming System is an extraordinary system in India that cultivates rice below sea level for the past two centuries. The rice fields are also known as "Puncha Vayals'' and exist in three landscape elements, namely; Karapadam, Kayal and Kari.
-This system facilitates the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services including several livelihood services for local communities.

b. Ernakulam district in Kerala is the largest producer of nutmeg, pineapple and rubber. This option is not correct.

c. Kasaragod is a northern district of Kerala. It is the largest producer of cashew in the state and is well known for its handlooms. This option is not correct.

d. Palakkad is the largest producer of rice and is known as the granary of Kerala. The district has 136257 hectares of reserve forest including the Silent Valley. This option is not correct.

Hence, the correct option is 'a'.

Note: India ranks second in the harvesting of rice producing 155.682 Million Metric Tonnes per annum , China being the highest producer. Rice is the main basic food for Indians. India's climate, particularly the Deccan plateau region, is extremely suitable for rice cultivation. West Bengal is the largest rice-producing state of India.