Volume V Special Issue VI December 2025

Name of Author : Titto Varghese, Thamanna Thaha

Title of the paper : CLIMATE MIGRATION IN KUTTANAD: VOICES FROM THE VANISHING LANDS

Abstract: Climate change is no longer a distant threat it is a lived reality for the people of Kuttanad, Kerala, a unique below sea level agricultural wetland system often referred to as the Rice Bowl of Kerala. This paper explores the phenomenon of climate induced migration in Kuttanad through a qualitative study based on interviews with affected individuals. The research identifies the environmental and socio economic drivers of migration, documents personal narratives and adaptive responses, and evaluates the psychological and livelihood impacts of displacement. It also assesses coping strategies and institutional responses, offering policy recommendations for sustainable adaptation and resettlement planning. The study finds that while migration offers a temporary respite, it also leads to profound socio cultural dislocation, economic uncertainty, and psychological distress. Effective policy must go beyond compensation and relocation, integrating ecological restoration, community based adaptation, and long term resilience building.

Keywords : Kuttanad, Climate Migration, Environmental Concerns, Sustainable Adaptation

DOI :

Page Number : 133-142