turned out to be a failure and had to be stopped in 1994. Thereafter these padasekharams are kept fallow. Our field investigations also show that majority of the paddy farmers in the study area are against the system of cooperative farming. Considering the earlier suggestions made by experts and the prevailing realities in the padasekharams of Kuttanad we propose the following measures for the development of paddy cultivation in the study area. Temporary measures like the enhancement and timely disbursement of production bonus, reduction in power tariffs, introduction of old age pension scheme for farmers etc, may appease paddy farmers to some extent for the time being but bold and decisive steps are needed to redress their grievances permanently. The prospects of paddy cultivation in Kuttanad is invariably related to the profitability of the crop that in turn depends on the cost of cultivation and income
