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Introduction
Goa is the smallest state in India, with the Arabian sea on its west coast and a network of major rivers, creeks and tributaries in the inland. In order to prevent flooding while simultaneously providing food security to its residents, khazans were created over 3,500 years ago. Derived from the Konkani term kharsan which translates to saltiness, khazans are the reclaimed low-lying marshy areas that are found alongside rivers, creeks and estuaries in Goa (Rubinoff, 1999). These areas were reclaimed from brackish water flooding, through sluice gates and bunds that are built in order to control the tidal influence. The integrated khazan ecosystem comprises of agriculture, pisciculture and salt pans which are intricately inter-connected with lives of Goans (Sonak, 2014).

History of khazans
The mechanism of khazans comprises of a system of inner smaller dykes or embankments locally referred to as mero and outer dykes for protection colloquially called bundhs, sluice gates also known as manos are located between an estuary and the inner reservoir to control the flow of water to the fields through regulating the tidal flow, poiems [Fig.1] a shallow pit that acts as a reservoir and water canals to circulate water through the fields (Sonak, 2014; Jacob 2021). This cost-effective technology utilised indigenous materials to build the various structures essential to its functioning. For example, the inner dykes [Fig.2], are made using mud or muck (chikle) that is found in the riverbed, mangrove litter, rice straws, areca palm or bamboo logs (Rubinoff, 1999), while the sluice gates are made of matti tree (Sonak, 2014).

This indigenous knowledge of creating and repairing these complex yet simple system was passed down orally from one generation to another (Sonak, 2014). Using this water management technology, relatively fertile land for paddy production during the monsoon season. At other times, the land was used to cultivate vegetables. Ponds were used for pisciculture and salt pans were developed, providing the village with basic food sustenance (Rubinoff, 1999). Coconut trees that thrive in saline soil were nourished by the solar salt that was produced in the khazan salt pans (Sonak, 2014).

Khazans are deeply intertwined with Goa’s social and cultural fabric as well. Over centuries, Khazans have been managed by social structures such as gaunkari, communidade and now the tenant’s association (Sonak, 2014). The gaunkari is an ancient system said to have been established by the Gauda community who formed gauns (villages) in Goa (Sonak, 2014). In the later years, with the migration of Brahmins¹ and Kshatriyas² to Goa, the village system had two hierarchies- one dictated by caste and the other by vangor (clans) (Sonak, 2016; Jacon 2021). The cultivable khazan land along with the ponds were jointly owned and farming and fishing rights were auctioned by the village elders (Rubinoff, 1999). With the onset of Portuguese rule in Goa from 1510 until 1961 when it was annexed by the Indian government, the gaunkaris was rechristened as the communidade system. The Portuguese chose to impose taxes, and they believed that the gaunkari system, which was already in place, was the most practical way to do so. Following the annexation of Goa in 1961, the khazan land tenant associations controlled the auction of fishing rights. This process is supervised by the Goa government through the Mamlatdar’s office for North or South Goa (Rubinoff, 1999).

Food Systems and Agrobiodiversity
The staple diet of Goans which includes fish curry and rice is deeply intertwined with the khazan ecosystem. Though the soil of the khazans are saline, salt-tolerant varieties of rice such as Korgut and Asgo [Fig. 3] grow in khazan fields. Red millet or its local name nachane is also grown in the soils of Khazan as the soil provides the best yields for this specific millet (Sonak, 2014). The value of these rice varieties and grains are not only for their nutritional value but also their capacity to tolerate water salinity. 

These indigenous rice varieties have adapted to the local soil and climatic conditions making their preservation important for food security in the future. Historically, their cultivation was primarily for local consumption. However, many of these traditional varieties are now in decline, while some have already been extinct.

Decline of Khazan Systems and Agricultural Transformation
There are a number of factors that have contributed to the decline of khazan land. Since the 18^th century, there has been a migration of Goans outside of Goa for better opportunities and livelihood (Mascarenhas-Keyes, 1987), occupational shift from agriculture to other sectors has caused a decline in cultivation of local rice varieties in khazan land (DeSouza, 2017). 

In the 1970s, the Green Revolution also reached Goan soil. The government encouraged the use of chemical fertilisers and hybrid varieties of seeds. Indigenous knowledge of the land was eclipsed by science. The introduction of modern high-yielding, chemical fertilisers and hybridised varieties of rice such as jyoti, karjat and jaya caused a decline in the cultivation of native varieties of rice.

Miguel de Braganza, a former agricultural officer who was involved in setting up Goa’s first agricultural college- Don Bosco College of Agriculture mentions how most Goan homes would use a kodo also known as the bhataso kodo³ to store the rice from their harvest. This process served as a seed bank for the rice varieties (n.d.). 

He observes: “Today, with the era of the Purvamantra fest dying out and supermarkets and cold storage is coming in, the whole tradition of storing things through the monsoon and using it later on has gone. So that is the issue of keeping seed. So more and more farmers became dependent on the government, the agriculture department, in bringing seed and giving to them. And in the government, naturally, what is convenient is done best. So Jyoti and Jaya seed was brought from Andhra Pradesh and given to the farmers. Instead of collecting seed from the farmer, processing it, drying, storing and giving it, it was easy to buy it in the month of May and distribute it. So that’s how Jyoti and Jaya have taken over most of Goa” (de Braganza, personal communication, 29^th May 2025).

These hybrid rice varieties provide a safety net of production for the state, who encouraged their production, causing a decline and extinction of certain indigenous rice varieties that grew in khazan land over time.

Khazan Awareness Initiatives in Goa
In recent years, a range of individual and collective initiatives have emerged to document, reinterpret, and revitalize khazan systems, drawing attention to their ecological significance and current conditions.

Heritage First Goa is a local initiative that celebrates Goa’s built, natural and cultural heritage through walks and workshops. One such walk is the “Khazans on a Full Moon” lead by Rhea Lopez, which sheds light on the khazans of Chorão Island. Conducting heritage walks learning about khazans has been a great tool for people to gain insight into the ecological significance of this ancient farming and fishing system and its importance to the local community.

Tallulah D’Silva [Fig. 4] – an architect with a deep reverence for the natural world, conducts khazan walks educating her audience on the significance of this crucial ecosystem. Through her own contribution towards creating awareness around khazans. She notes a generational shift in perception:

She states “ people do know that solar salt is better to use, you know, the local fish is a better choice in terms of food, our local red rice is so nutritious in its values. And because of this awareness, we have more younger people also now taking up like…I know a lot of students have taken khazan as their core area of study, whether they are architecture students, whether they are planners as part of their thesis, even environmental studies, you know, so that’s a positive” (D’Silva, personal communication, 10^th May 2025). 

This positive shift in awareness not only in terms of food security and consumption has but also in various other disciplines that are intertwined with khazans has garnered momentum. The Don Bosco School of Agriculture also includes practical learning, where students are sent into the fields – either to khazan lands or rice cultivating farms in Goa to live and learn from the local farmers (de Braganza, personal communication, 29^th May 2025). 

Fr. George Quadros [Fig. 5] who is known as the ‘Paddy Man of Goa’ undertook the challenge to mechanically transplant rice saplings onto 1 lakh  square meters of land in Curtorim (Herald Team, 2024). The sheer determination and passion to preserve the khazans is commendable.

The Khazan Society of Goa, headed by Elsa Fernandes, an environmental architect, was set up in 2022. The society is comprised of experts and concerned citizens who have come together in order to strengthen and revive the khazans in Goa. The Goa Water Stories is another initiative that involves the local Goan community, especially the youth, to engage meaningfully with water, ecology and the indigenous communities through art, research and writing. One project under the Goa Water Stories titled Khazan Clay Chronicles by Melanie Costa Pereira involved exploring the various clay soils of the khazans and creating watercolour works using the Old Masters technique.

In recent news, the Goa state government intends to set up a Khazan Land Management Plan (KLMP) in order to conduct research. The khazan board will conduct salinity profiling and soil mapping across various khazans lands (Shetye, 2025). The proposal seems to offer hope for the revival of khazans in Goa which in turn will lead to food security within the State as well.

Conclusion
Khazans are integral to Goan ecological and cultural life, embodying a long-standing symbiosis between human communities and tidal environments. These unique agro-aquaculture systems, developed over centuries, support biodiversity, prevent saline intrusion, and offer climate resilience. 

Preserving this ancient knowledge and protecting these lands for the future generation is important. As modern development and environmental threats increase, protecting khazan lands ensures the continuation of a sustainable, community-led model that harmonizes nature and human activity. Their preservation is not just about safeguarding the past, but securing a resilient and environmentally just future for generations to come in Goa.

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1. Brahmins are considered to be learned upper-caste the hierarchy of caste system in India. ↩︎
2. Kshatriyas are considered the warrior caste in the hierarchy of caste system in India. ↩︎
3. A makeshift bamboo mat silos made to store rice. ↩︎

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References:

• Deepal, S. (2021). “Goa’s Last Living Khazans”. GOYA. Article published online (https://www.goya.in/blog/goas-last-living-khazans)
• Jacob, G.J. (2019). The Khazans of Goa: A Socio-Cultural Perspective. Article published online. (https:// www.sahapedia.org/khazans-goa-socio-culturalperspective)
• Khan, A.W. (2025). Salinity Zoning, LiDAR Mapping and periodic reviews to drive khazan revival. Article published online. (https://epaper.navhindtimes.in/NewsDetail.aspx?storyid=25136&date=2025-06-06&pageid=1)
• Mascarenhas-Keyes, Stella.(1987). “Migration and the International Catholic Goan Community.” PhD Thesis, London University.
• Rubinoff, J.A. (2001). “Pink Gold: Transformation of Backwater Aquaculture on Goa’s Khazan Lands.” Economic and Political Weekly 36, no. 13. 1108–14. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4410457.
• Shetye, M. (2025). “Goa plans to set up board to revive khazan land, will override TCP Act.” Time of India. Article published online https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/state-plans-to-set-up-board-to-revive-khazan-land-will-override-tcp-act/articleshow/121658023.cms
• Sonak, S (2014). Khazan Ecosystems of Goa: Building on Indigenous Solutions to Cope with Global Environmental Change. Dordrecht: Springer.
• (n.d.) “One thing Goans simply cannot do without- ‘Pez’ or ‘Congee’, Goa Me. Article published online https://itsgoa.com/one-thing-goans-simply-cannot-do-without-pez-or-conjee

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