Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

Malaxis Rheedii
Geodrum densiflorum
Fumbristylis tetragena
Rottbellia Exaltata
Pseudanthistria Umbellata
Plant
Plant
Plant
Grass
Annual
Source: K.S.Manilal and V.V.Sivarajan, Flora of Calicut, Dehradun, 1982.
Moist shaded areas
Do
Shallow pond
Freshwater ponds and
grassy slopes
Kadalundi river bank
Cash crops, such as coconut, areca, plantains and other fruit crops are spreading
everywhere. Coastal areas like Vallikkunnu and Parappanangadi had traditional coconut
gardens, and the practice has spread to elevated regions and slopes also. Jack and mango
trees survive to a certain extent, but are increasingly cut down. Betel leaves are planted in
some areas particularly in Nannambra Panchayat, Palmyra is a rare sight anywhere in the
block, but it appears that Palmyra was planted more frequently earlier in the low-lying
regions. The spread of coconut is mostly as a monoculture garden crop, and is seen
tended carefully in such gardens, along with compound walls, possibly to prevent
poaching. However, in more traditional coconut plantations, in areas such as
Vallikkunnu, the crop is tended less, and the owner or his laborers appear only for
plucking the coconut. In such areas coconuts are found along with leafy trees and bushes.
Areca gardens are less than coconut gardens, and we saw a well tended areca garden in
chuzhali, near Vallikkadavu. The practice of interspersing coconut with areca is
continuing in many areas, but given less importance. A more common crop is plantains,
which appears everywhere, particularly in the low-lying regions. Tapioca is grown as a
crop in both parambas and low-lying regions, but its spread is relatively less. Cashew is
seen in many spaces, particularly in rocky plateaus, and is considered a potential
plantation for elevated regions. But there is little effort to grow it as a mono-cultural crop.
One effort, by the University inside the campus was given up due to resistance by the
environmentalists.