VEMBANAD LAKE AND ITS UNTOLD STORIES: Ecological Fragility, Food Sovereignty and Sustenance Habitability

This book investigates the historical evolution, ecological challenges, and socio-economic transformations of Vembanad Lake over the past century. The testimonies offishermen, clam collectors, coir weavers, bund operators, mangrove cultivators, houseboat workers, oceanographers, bird sanctuary volunteers, and agricultural laborers reveal nuanced understandings of the lakes seasonal rhythms, changes in fish and bird populations, shifts in salinity, and the socio-economic impact of interventions such as the Thanneermukkom Bund.Through these voices, the lakes history emerges not only as a record of ecological change but as a narrative of resilience, displacement, and adaptation. By integratingcartographic and diagrammatic analysis with oral histories, the book advocates for a transdisciplinary framework that values localized, experiential knowledge as essential for designing inclusive conservation strategies. Preserving Vembanads future requires not just ecological restoration but also the honoring and safeguarding of the cultural and historical memory embeddedin the stories of those who have experienced its transformations. Oral testimonies thus serve as critical archives for both environmental stewardship and social justice.