Discussion paper on water hyacinth menace in Kerala inland waters 

Saji Cherian, the State Fisheries Minister has released a comprehensive discussion paper aimed at finding a permanent solution to the grave threat posed by water hyacinth in Kerala’s inland waters. The report, titled “Tackling Kerala’s Water Hyacinth Menace,” was prepared by the Future Kerala Mission, an initiative of Jain (Deemed-to-be) University, Kochi campus. The first copy of the report was officially handed over to the Minister in Kollam by Venu Rajamony, former Indian diplomat and Chairman of Future Kerala Mission, along with Lakshmi and Radhakrishnan Unni of the Marine Science Department, Jain University. Serious concern The Minister said that the damage caused by water hyacinth to the livelihoods of farmers and fishermen across Kerala has become a matter of serious concern. Apart from finding sustainable solutions to eradicate the problem, the project also aims to create new livelihood opportunities through the development of value-added products derived from water hyacinth. The Minister congratulated Jain University and the Future Kerala Mission team for their proactive initiative and assured full support from the Fisheries Department for the project. Venu Rajamony described water hyacinth as a social and ecological challenge that threatens both livelihoods and local ecosystems. The Future Kerala Mission seeks to develop a collective social response to address this crisis. He also called upon individuals, researchers and organizations working on water hyacinth eradication to contribute by sharing their experiences, solutions and innovations. The project recognises the environmental and economic impact of the water hyacinth Menace in Kerala. The public and experts are invited to share their insights and suggestions on the issue. The organizers have requested that personal experiences, local solutions, challenges and innovative ideas related to water hyacinth management be submitted in the form of notes, photos or videos to keralahyacinthproject@futurekerala.org.in by October 30. The report, along with the collected feedback, will form the basis for deliberations at a high-level international conference to be organized later this year. The conference will also explore relevant experiences from other states and countries. Published on October 7, 2025