Future of small millet growers: Issues and opportunities ~ The Development Stories

Now, small millets growers face lots of constraints in impacting production, productivity and profitability of small millets. On the growers perspective, various production constraints faced by small millet growers across India. The area of small millets cultivation has been decreased in compared to other crops like rice, ginger, potato and other vegetable crops. The irregularity of rainfall as well as late onset of monsoon also play major role in the reduction of small millets production. There is lack of availability of site specific quality seeds in the national level. For example, main source of seed for majority of farmers (about 50-100%) is from own-farm, especially for little millet and kodo millet. Moreover, there is lack of proper seed system on behalf of government for distribution of quality seed to the farmers in interior areas where small millets is cultivated. With decrease in area of cultivation for finger millet, the production has been decreased and hence the productivity is insignificant at the national level. Small millets growers don’t adopt appropriate soil and water conservation methods, enhancing soil productivity, and timely management crop practices for increasing production of small millets. Most of the farming activities related to small millet cultivation is done manually and involves drudgery across the nation. Even, some of the farm implements are developed but it needs practical implication in the ground with the involvement of farmers. Similarly, household level harvesting and threshing machinery is not available. In the similar way, there is lack of infrastructure facilities like threshing yard available in the village.

Small millets growers face problems in terms of selling production in the markets due to unavailability of transportation facility in the interior areas. They sell immediately after harvest to repay the loan availed for cultivation. Moreover, storage facility is not available for farmers so that they can sell later. Again, traders don’t come later for collecting for small quantity. This situation creates problems for farmers and they compel to sell in low price. Odisha shared about the drudgery involves in de-hulling of little millet and foxtail millet as well as unavailability of proper marketing channel.

As small millets are neglected crops as compared others cereals crops, there is need of several types interventions from all the stakeholders starting from production to consumption. There are enough opportunities for the small millet growers to increase their production. The details are explained in below.

Research needs to be carried for developing and popularizing context specific and higher improved varieties.
It is necessary for skill up gradation of small millet growers for adoption of timely and appropriate crop management practices like sowing in time, crop rotation with legumes, inter-cultural operations, weeding in time, changing cropping pattern like inter-crop, mixed crop, Sequence cropping etc. Enhancing soil and water conservation practices such as summer plough, ploughing across slope, erecting small section of bunds in the plot, opening at water conservation, repeated water cultivation etc
Quality seeds are not available in time and it is necessary to avail quality seeds to the farmers on time. Farmers should be motivated for seed production and adopt improved variety as local varieties have lots of mixtures.
It is necessary for continuous training programmes as well as field demonstration on sustainable cultural practices to increase production.
Context specific improvisation of farm machineries needs to given prioritize with the participation of small millet growers for practical application in the field. Moreover, farm machineries can be supported through agro-service centre with subsidy from government schemes.
Small millet growers’ producer company can be formed to take up small millets promotional activities. This will create network among all the stakeholders and support farmers for growing small millets in a profitable way.
It is necessary for creating market infrastructure facilities for the small millet growers so that they can sell produce in higher price.

Food industries need to work in collaboration with the small millets growers and support for high production. The agreement between the small millet growers and food industries will increase the confidence level of the farmers to grow more area under small millets.

Small millet growers need special attention from different stakeholders for sustaining small millet cultivation for long run in profitable way. Small and marginal farmers growing small millets are mainly in need of support from government to increase production in order to meet their food requirement. The following supports are needed for small millets growers especially from government.
a.Supports expected from Government

Need for quality seed production and better supply mechanism
Need to arrest declining trend by providing higher minimum support price, subsidies, financial assistance etc.
Need intervention for availing farm production implements
Mechanization of harvest, threshing and processing operations felt necessary
Farmers are forced to sell their produce immediately harvesting and getting fewer prices. Hence there is need of storage facilities.
Need support for promotion of producer organization
Need infrastructure facilities from various government schemes
Launch special schemes for Small Millets in districts where small millet area is concentrated.
Provide direct cash subsidy for meeting critical cultivation expenses

b. Supports expected from Researchers

Developing and popularizing context specific and higher improved varieties.
Training and capacity building of small millet growers and demonstration of appropriate management practices which will be context specific.

c. Supports expected from Food Industries

Develop different small millets recipes with the judicious proportion of pulses and other crops.
Promote different health food products and advertise in the market
Popularize delicious and nutrition small millets products in food courts, Amma Shop etc.

d. Supports expected from Market chain Actors