IJARSAI International Journal of Advanced Research Scientific Analysis & Inferences International Multidisciplinary Biannual Double-Blind Peer-Reviewed & Refereed Print Research Journal Vol. 1 No. 3 (July - December 2025) ISSN: 3049-1789 140 A Study on the Impact of the Kerala Paddy and Wetland Conservation Act 2008: An Analysis of Area, Production, and Productivity Trends Discipline: Economics Dr. Mary Thomas K. Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Vimala College (Autonomous) Thrissur, Kerala, India Email: marybabuguruvayur@gmail.com Dr. Sitara V. Attokkaran Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Vimala College (Autonomous) Thrissur, Kerala, India Email: drsitaravattokkaran1977@gmail.com Received: 05.09.2025 | Revised Submission: 01.10.2025 |Accepted: 17.10.2025 | Available Online: 25.10.2025 Abstract The steady decline in paddy cultivation area has been a significant concern for food security in Kerala. In response, the Government of Kerala enacted the Kerala Paddy Land and Wetland Conservation Act in 2008, aimed at protecting existing paddy fields from conversion to other uses. This study evaluates the impact of this Act by comparing trends in the area under cultivation, production output, and productivity (yield per hectare) of rice in Kerala for the periods before (2000-01 to 2009-10) and after (2010-11 to 2020-21) the implementation of the Act. Data from the Kerala Agricultural Statistics and other government publications are analyzed. The findings indicate that while the Act appears to have contributed to a stabilization of the area in the latter part of the study period and a significant, consistent improvement in productivity. This suggests that the Act, alongside other supportive measures, has been successful in intensifying cultivation on protected lands, though challenges in expanding the cultivation area persist. Keywords: Paddy Cultivation, Wetland Conservation Act 2008, Agricultural Policy, Productivity, Food Security. Introduction Rice cultivation has been facing a persistent crisis for decades. Driven by economic factors like rising costs of labour, low profitability compared to other cash crops, and rapid urbanization, large areas of paddy fields were being converted for commercial and residential purposes. This conversion led to a large reduction in the area under paddy cultivation, threatening the state’s food security, water security, and ecological