The State government has encouraged millet cultivation among farmers and is providing cash incentives for those opting for it. This was stated by Mysuru district in-charge Minister H.C. Mahadevappa after inaugurating a three-day millet mela or Siridhanya Sambhrama which got under way here on Tuesday.
The mela being held at the Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry is to commemorate International Year of Millets 2023. It is being conducted by Sahaja Samrudha in association with Department of Agriculture, SWISSAID, FiBl, under the CROPS4HD (Consumption of Resilient Orphan Crops for Healthier Diets) Project.
The Minister said the State government as a policy had announced ₹10,000 per hectare of millet cultivation as an incentive to farmers in order to encourage its production in the international year of the millets. He said the organic and natural production of millets held lessons for farmers as it has the potential to reduce the cost of cultivation and enhance their income. The increase in cultivation cost was one of the factors reducing the profitability of agriculture and reducing farmers’ income and hence millet cultivation was a panacea, Mr. Mahadevappa added.
The Minister said the profits through value additions will not only help create additional employment opportunities but will also enhance income of the farmers and said that such melas will help create greater awareness of the benefits of millet cultivation.
Joint Director of Agriculture Chandrashekar said at the sidelines of the event that the area of millet cultivation was going up significantly and this was evident in Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Dharwad, Gadag, etc. where monsoon had failed and the area was suffering from an acute water scarcity.
He said the focus beyond the International Year of the Millet was to sustain the gains made in terms of awareness of the benefits of millets and ensure processing of the produce. Mr. Chandrashekar said the demand had increased due to the growing health consciousness among a section of the population that was conscious of calorie consumption. To encourage the establishment of micro-processing units, the government was extending subsidies. One such unit could cover about 5 to 6 villages, he added.
Krishnaprasad of Sahaja Sambrudha, the organization engaged in promotion of millets and conservation of agricultural diversity, said Siridhanya Sambrama is a celebration of a crop that has not received adequate attention while it also intends to direct policy attention to the nutritional and health benefits of millets.
Varieties of millets are on display and there is participation from various seed savers groups from across the State. Apart from highlighting millet diversity, the mela also provides recipe for culinary delights that can be prepared using millets. Mr. Krishnaprasad said the festival will not only highlight the conservation of indigenous seeds but will also facilitate the exchange of seeds, experiences, and knowledge on millet farming practices by different farmers groups who will meet and participate in round table conferences.
