"Scaling Up Millets Production: The Imperative of Better Yield and Post-Harvest Management"
Millets, often referred to as the "nutri-cereals," have been an integral part of Indian agriculture and cuisine for centuries. With their unique nutritional profile, millets offer a promising solution to address the country's food security concerns. However, to realize their full potential, it is essential to focus on two critical aspects: better yield and post-harvest management. According to Ashok Dalwai, the former CEO of the National Rain-fed Area Authority, these two factors hold the key to scaling up millets production in India.
The Importance of Millets in India
Millets are small-grained cereals that are widely cultivated in India, particularly in the rain-fed areas. They are drought-tolerant, require less water, and can thrive in poor soil conditions, making them an ideal crop for small and marginal farmers. Millets are also rich in nutrients, including protein, fiber, and minerals, making them a valuable addition to a healthy diet.
Despite their numerous benefits, millet production in India has been stagnant over the years. The country's millet production has been hovering around 15-16 million tons per annum, with the major producing states being Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat. To increase production and make millets more accessible to consumers, it is essential to focus on improving yields and post-harvest management.
The Need for Better Yield Management
One of the primary challenges facing millet farmers in India is low yields. Compared to other crops, millets have relatively low yields, ranging from 1-2 tons per hectare. This is due to several factors, including poor soil health, inadequate irrigation, and lack of access to high-yielding varieties. To improve yields, farmers need to adopt better crop management practices, such as crop rotation, soil testing, and application of organic fertilizers.
Another critical aspect is the development of high-yielding varieties. While research institutions have developed several high-yielding varieties, their adoption rates are low due to limited access to seeds and lack of awareness among farmers. Governments and private organizations need to work together to promote the adoption of high-yielding varieties and provide support to farmers to improve their yields.
The Imperative of Post-Harvest Management
Post-harvest management is another critical area that requires attention to improve millets production. After harvesting, millets are prone to spoilage due to moisture content, insects, and rodents. According to estimates, post-harvest losses in millets can range from 20-30%, which is significant considering the already low yields.
To reduce post-harvest losses, it is essential to develop and promote better storage facilities. Traditional storage methods, such as earthen pits and jute bags, are inadequate and lead to significant losses. Modern storage facilities, such as metal silos and hermetic bags, can help reduce losses and improve the quality of the produce.
Another critical aspect is the development of processing facilities. Millets require dehusking, debranning, and polishing to make them suitable for human consumption. However, the processing facilities in India are limited, leading to a shortage of processed millets. Governments and private organizations need to invest in processing facilities to improve the availability of processed millets and increase their adoption rates.
Scaling Up Millets Production
To scale up millets production in India, governments, private organizations, and farmers need to work together. Here are some strategies that can be adopted:
- Research and Development: Research institutions need to focus on developing high-yielding varieties and improving crop management practices. There is also a need to develop better storage and processing facilities.
- Farmer Training: Farmers need to be trained on better crop management practices, including soil testing, irrigation management, and application of organic fertilizers.
- Infrastructure Development: Governments and private organizations need to invest in developing storage and processing facilities to reduce post-harvest losses and improve the availability of processed millets.
- Market Access: Farmers need to have access to markets to sell their produce. Governments and private organizations need to work together to create market linkages and improve the adoption rates of millets.
- Awareness Generation: There is a need to create awareness among consumers about the benefits of millets and promote their adoption.
Conclusion
Scaling up millets production in India requires a multi-faceted approach that involves improving yields, post-harvest management, and market access. While there are several challenges facing millet farmers, the benefits of promoting millets are numerous. Millets offer a promising solution to address the country's food security concerns, improve the nutritional profile of Indians, and provide a sustainable livelihood to small and marginal farmers. Governments, private organizations, and farmers need to work together to promote the adoption of millets and make India a millet hub.
The Way Forward
To make millets a staple crop in India, the government needs to take several measures:
- Policy Support: The government needs to provide policy support to farmers, including subsidies, credit facilities, and marketing support.
- Infrastructure Development: The government needs to invest in developing storage and processing facilities to reduce post-harvest losses and improve the availability of processed millets.
- Research and Development: The government needs to promote research and development in millets, including the development of high-yielding varieties and better crop management practices.
- Market Access: The government needs to create market linkages to improve the adoption rates of millets.
- Awareness Generation: The government needs to create awareness among consumers about the benefits of millets and promote their adoption.
In conclusion, millets offer a promising solution to address the country's food security concerns, improve the nutritional profile of Indians, and provide a sustainable livelihood to small and marginal farmers. While there are several challenges facing millet farmers, the benefits of promoting millets are numerous. With policy support, infrastructure development, research and development, market access, and awareness generation, India can become a millet hub and promote the adoption of millets as a staple crop.
