Puttur, 24 August 2026: Farmers should not be viewed as a problem in the conservation of the Western Ghats but should instead be recognised as an important part of the conservation process, the All-India Areca Growers Association has said.
Association stressed that the conservation of the Western Ghats, one of the country’s important ecological regions, is essential. However, it said conservation measures should not impose restrictions that adversely affect the livelihoods of farmers and rural communities who have been cultivating the land in the foothill regions for generations.
Issue was discussed at a meeting of the association, following which it decided to urge both the Union and Karnataka governments to completely reject the recommendations of the Kasturirangan Committee that could adversely affect agricultural activities and farmers’ livelihoods.
Farmers and Conservation Can Coexist
According to the association, farmers living in the foothills of the Western Ghats have traditionally coexisted with nature while pursuing agriculture.
For decades, farming communities have contributed to the local rural economy while maintaining agricultural practices that are closely linked to the surrounding environment. Their role in maintaining the ecological balance of the region should therefore not be overlooked, it said.
Association argued that conservation policies should recognise this relationship rather than treating agricultural communities as a threat to the Western Ghats ecosystem.
Call for Local Participation
Association called for a conservation policy based on local realities, scientific studies and the participation of farmers and rural communities. It said blanket restrictions on agricultural activities in the name of environmental protection could affect the livelihoods of farming families and have a wider impact on the rural economy.
Instead, the government should identify environmentally sensitive activities and areas based on scientific evidence while ensuring that existing farming communities are not unnecessarily affected, the association said.
Reject Kasturirangan Recommendations
Association has urged the Centre and Karnataka government to completely reject the Kasturirangan report recommendations that, in its view, could adversely affect farmers in the Western Ghats foothills.
It maintained that protecting the Western Ghats and protecting farmers’ livelihoods should not be treated as competing objectives. A balanced approach, it said, should combine ecological protection with the economic security of communities that depend on agriculture.
‘Make Farmers Partners in Conservation’
The association said farmers should be treated as partners in conservation rather than as part of the problem.
It called for a practical and scientific policy that takes into account the ecological importance of the Western Ghats as well as the social and economic realities of its farming communities. “Western Ghats conservation, farmers’ livelihoods and the rural economy must be protected together,” the association said.
Statement was issued by Mahesh Puchchappady, President, and Venkatagirish C.G., General Secretary, All India Areca Growers Association (R), Puttur.
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