Malabar History journal

Agricultural System in Pre-British Malabar:

In pre-British Malabar, the agricultural system was characterised by a concept known as ‘corporate unity’ or ‘joint proprietorship.’ The principal land rights holders, including the Janmi(landlords), Kanakkaran(accountants), and Verumpattakkaran(workers), were considered part owners entitled to one-third or an equal share of the net produce. These groups of people distributed agricultural yields among themselves based on mutually agreed-upon proportions.

The distribution of shares was managed by the Kanakkaran, and the share of produce, known as pattam or Pad (authorities) share, was divided equally between the Janmi and the Kanakkaran. Customary practices played a significant role in land distribution. Local customs, class practices, and family traditions influenced land tenures, and the agrarian law of the country.

The influence of Aryan Brahmins, particularly the Nambudiris, who arrived in Malabar in the early centuries of the Christian era, played a role in causing changes to the economic life of the region. They built numerous temples that became central to all activities. Emperors, Rajas, Naduvazhis, and Desavazhis contributed to the construction of temples and endowed vast landed estates for their maintenance. Over time, a significant portion of landed property came under the control of Brahmin assemblies.

Agricultural System in British Malabar:

The beginning of British rule in 1792 marked a turning point in Malabar’s history. The British East India Company became involved in the region’s economic and political affairs and implemented various laws to safeguard their economic interests. With the advent of British rule, the traditional land system changed. The early land tenure system in Malabar was characterized by the customary sharing of produce, with each sharer having the right to freely transfer their interest in land. The existing customary law regulated the produce of each janmom holding, and the janmi (landlord) was prohibited from violating these regulations. The surplus produce, known as pattom or pad (authority’s share), was left after covering cultivation costs. Also, the hereditary property (janmom) could be freely bought and sold in Malabar. However, the British misconceived the land tenure system and consequently, the janmi was legally recognised as the absolute owner of the land. Thus, the janmies became powerful landowners, no longer dependent on rulers for their power and influence. This shift put the workers and cultivators in a deplorable situation making them subject to the authority of the janmies turned dominus.

The elevation of Janmis to the status of absolute landowners also resulted in the formation of a feudal class that exhibited little interest in cultivation. They often prioritized their own economic interests over the welfare of the agrarian community.

This shift in ownership thwarted the emergence of a land market in Malabar, stifling agricultural productivity and hindering the expansion of cultivation. Such British economic motives and policies resulted in a transition from the traditional joint proprietorship system to one that favoured the Janmies as absolute owners, leading to an increase in the concentration of land in the hands of the Brahmins.

With the increase in the export of produce that came along with British rule, Indian peasants encountered challenges in competing with their European counterparts, who utilised modern farming technologies. Despite limited livestock, soil fertility was sustained with ample water sources and vegetation. The soil of Malabar was classified based on fertility, with specific types suitable for paddy cultivation, other food crops, coconut cultivation, and plantation crops. Colonialism also resulted in an expansion of the cultivable land area and, as a result, an increase in the land price. Thus, the janmis started to increase the rent on arable land and forcefully evicted their tenants for more profit. Also, the wrong interpretation given by the colonial administration and courts about traditional tenures such as Kanam, Kulikanam and Verumpattom had virtually resulted in the loss of security of tenure and reduced the share of produce enjoyed by tenants.

Prominent crops in Malabar

The diverse soil types of Malabar enabled the cultivation of a wide range of crops. The region was known for producing high-quality coconut in the area between Kannur and Vizhinjam. Another valuable commercial product was turmeric, known locally as manjal, was a common crop in Kannur and Kozhikode. Cashew, introduced by the Portuguese from Brazil, thrived in the silt and clay soils along the coast, serving as both a crop and a means of preventing soil erosion.

During the colonial period, Malabar saw the cultivation of new commercial crops such as sugar, rice, cotton, tea,coffee, indigo, wheat, silkworms, tobacco, opium, and more. The global demand for Malabar’s pepper, often referred to as “the black gold of Malabar,” gained prominence in the Ottoman Empire in the sixteenth century.

References

• Prakash, B. (2018). Economic history of Keralam from 1800 to 1947 AD, Part 1: Malabar. Thiruvananthapuram Economic Studies Society. https://keralaeconomy.com/admin/pdfs/ECONOMIC.pdf
• Prakash, B. (2016). Agricultural backwardness of Malabar during the colonial period: An analysis of economic causes. Social Scientist, 16(6/7), 51–76. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3517275
• Karinchan, S. (2022). Science and society in colonial Malabar, 1847–1947 (Doctoral dissertation, Kannur University). Department of History, Kannur University Campus, Mangattuparamba.