EXTENSION STRATEGIES FOR POPULARIZING MILLET

Ms.Stella Mariem,

Faculty, Dept of Food Technology, College of Dairy and Food Science Technology,MPUAT,Udaipur

INTRODUCTION

India has a rich resource base both in terms of farmers’ varieties and laboratory produced cultivators of millets in India.

While, admittedly it may not be much of a panacea in the Indo-Gangetic plains, millions of poor Indians in the hostile arid and semi-arid zones of India would stand to benefit.

With eight per cent of the global biodiversity, India has a rich genetic resource base that, if appropriately managed and used, could be a great asset.

Millets are grown in arid, semi-arid or rather marginal conditions of soil fertility and moisture. Nevertheless, they are considered as rain fed crops and could be of great help to large localised population as staples or even reserve crops in marginal areas.

They are a proven source of energy and protein for millions

of human population, additionally providing fodder for cattle population

Millets have a short growing season, a low moisture demand and can play a significant role in a mixed cropped system. Characteristic ecosystems and climatic condition conducive for growth of three major groups 

54.89 lakh hectars of land under bajra cultivation with production of 45.67 lakh tonnes and yeild of 832kg per hectar.

55% of the total millet production in India is in Rajasthan.

Types of millets and their varietal diversity

PRODUCTION CONSTRAINTS

Low spread of improved varieties or hybrids.

Poor field establishment. Poor weed control Lack of adoption of agronomical

practices Recurrent droughts Negligible area under irrigation (only 5-

7%)

SOLUTIONS Grow early maturing and disease

resistant hybrids like RHB 121, RHB 127, HHB 67,GHB 538

Intercropping of bajra with cluster bean or cow pea or green gram in 2:1 ratio

Weed management with hand weeding, hoeing or atrazine.

Popularising millet-based food has been something that CSOs had engaged in but it is only serious policy support by the government that can make it a value-added product for India’s food security

Integrated Cereal Development Programme in Coarse Cereal based Cropping Systems Areas

(ICDP-Coarse Cereal) It is expected to include frontline demonstration,

assistance to farmers for improved package of practices, supply of quality seeds and resource conservation technologies.

Currently, 25 millet manufactures and suppliers are known to be operative.The government is to be promoted for millet cultivation and provide an incentive of Rs 5,000 per acre for cultivating millets.

Since millets are grown in an area of maximum 20 million acres in India, the incentive percentage will not exceed Rs 1,000 crore; compare this with fertiliser subsidy of Rs 1,40,000 crore provided by government in 2010.

MILLETS

Bringing more area under irrigated condition

Raising area under cluster approach

Expansion of area by bringing cultivation of fallow land

Extending Precision Farming / Micro Irrigation

Increasing the Hybrid seed usage

Weed Management, scaring of birds

Seed treatment with azospirillum/fungicides.

Mechanized intercultural operations with power weeder

Line sowing through seed drill

Adopting INM and IPM practices

Providing assured market with attractive price

Balanced application of fertilizers Insurance coverage

Application of Micro Nutrient Mixture

Extending interest free credit

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE THROUGH PROCESSING, VALUE ADDITION AND MARKETING OF

LOCAL CEREALS AND MILLETS

VALUE ADDING STRATEGIES FOR PRODUCTION AND SUSTAINABLEUSE OF INDIGENOUS SMALL MILLETSVALUE ADDING STRATEGIES FOR PRODUCTION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF INDIGENOUS SMALL MILLETS

FOXTAIL MILLET(Setaria italica) RAGI

(Eleusine coracana)LITTLE MILLET

(Panicum sumatrense)

STANDARDISED AND ORGANOLEPTICALLY ACCEPTED ETHNIC FOODS AND VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS OF

MINOR MILLETS FOR COTTAGE INDUSTRIES

Micro nutrient enriched biscuits and muffins

- Therapeutic bun and bread -

Micro nutrient enriched sweet

Value added fried snack

Micro nutrient enriched fermented products and malted beverage

CONCLUSION

Thus value addition will fetch the farmer better returns and will encourage him to cultivate millet.

Nutrition education in schools and night classes will also help the cause.

Easy asses to governmental schemes such as Kisan Credit Cards will promote farmer for millet cultivation.

THANK YOU