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People have higher purchasing power in Kerala but lacking availability of food items due to agricultural backwardness. Among all states in India, Kerala is the chronic food deficit state because of the wide gap between demand and supply of food grains particularly rice which is the staple food grain of the population. The deficit in food grains production receives greater significance because cereals are the major source of calories and proteins intake in Kerala. Sustainable agriculture is necessary for continuous supply of food grains to meet growing demand. Kerala had experienced rapid urbanization and villages have been converted as semi urban or an urban area where the percentage of people depends upon agriculture has reduced drastically. The significant changes in the society tend to change the land use pattern. However the tendency of shifting agriculture land to non agricultural purposes still accelerates the problem of food shortage and remains as a threat to food security and sustainable agriculture.

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Maneesh P, is working as project fellow in department of Econometrics, Madurai Kamaraj university. His area of research interest includes agriculture economics and migration. N R Deepa, is currently working as assistant Professor in Gandhigram Rural Institute-Deemed University, Dindigul. Her specialization includes macro and development economics.

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