IMPACT OF GOVERNMENT SCHEMES ON THE PROMOTION OF

NUTRICEREALS IN INDIA

E. Thanu Vaishubharathi*, T. Sivasakthi Devi, N. Swaminathan, A. Pouchepparadjou and

S. Saravanan

PAJANCOA & RI, Karaikal, Puducherry UT, India.

*Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract:

Millets have a much greater potential to provide food security, nutrition, fibre, health, a
means of subsistence, and a healthy environment than rice and wheat since they are richer in
minerals and vitamins. Millets are referred to as Miracle Grains or Nutri-Cereals because of all
these benefits. Despite the advantages of farming millets, Indian farmers have gradually moved
away from millets as their preferred cereal crop throughout time. Since 1966, the total area of
cropland in India used to harvest the three main millet crops, jowar, bajra, and ragi, has almost
halved nationwide. The cultivation of other crops has replaced millet on thousands of hectares of
land. However, since 2012, the Government of India's initiatives, such as INSIMP, NFSM, and
various state missions have had a significant impact on millet production. Hence, the study was
proposed to analyze the impact of government schemes on the promotion of millet production.
As a result, through training initiatives, financial aid, novel varieties and hybrids, post-harvest
value addition, etc., production and productivity have increased.

Keywords: Declining millets area, Government Schemes, State Missions, Impact of the
Schemes

Introduction:

A large variety of small-seed grains known as millets are produced and eaten as a staple
food in arid and semi-arid regions. Millets have historically been produced for their high
nutritional value, low water and input requirements, and resistance to climate change. These
superfoods, sometimes referred to as Nutri-cereals, are a storehouse of nutrition. They contain a
significant number of minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, and
vitamin B complex. They are also great sources of nutrients like carbohydrate, protein, dietary
fibre, and good-quality fat. Millets are naturally gluten-free and beneficial for celiac disease
sufferers. Antioxidants, which shield our cells from free radicals, are abundant in millets.
Additionally, millets' low glycemic index aids in the management of diabetes. Millets can lower
the chance of getting cardiovascular disease, according to a recent study. Global millets
production and area in 2022 were 71.70 Mn Ha and 90.65 Mn MT. The production of millets
increased at a 0.3% CAGR and area decreased at -0.5% CAGR from 2012 to 2022.

Millets in India:

Around 176 lakh tonnes of millets are produced in India, accounting for 20% of global
production and 80% of that in Asia1 (India and State-wise area, production, and productivity of
millets in 2021–2022). India is one of the top 10 countries in the world for millets exports, and
over the past five years, its exports have been steadily growing at a CAGR of about 3%. Millets
give the dry land agricultural people security in terms of food and fodder in addition to nutrition.
They are the most durable, climate-adaptable, and hardy crops in tough, hot (up to 50 degrees
Celsius), and drought situations, making them the most secure crops for small farmers.

Despite the advantages of farming millets, Indian farmers have gradually moved away
from millets as their preferred cereal crop over the years. Since 1966, the entire area of cropland
in India used to grow the three primary millet crops, jowar, bajra, and ragi, has practically been
cut in half. The cultivation of other crops has replaced millet on thousands of hectares of land.

As seen from the table1, production of millets recorded a negative CAGR (-0.45%).
Further, area under cultivation also witnessed negative CAGR (-1.49%). Though there is a
decline in area and production, at the overall level, the productivity has shown a positive growth
with a CAGR of 2%.

Government Schemes for Millet Production in India:

India has substantially improved in terms of food production and productivity because to
the Green Revolution, which has spent more than 60 years working on achieving food security in
the nation. The concentration on boosting food production in quantity rather than taking into
account the quality of the food, i.e., nutrition security, sufficiently addressed the urgent problem,
but it did so at the expense of Hidden Hunger or Micronutrient Malnutrition. India currently
bears the triple burden of under- and overnutrition as well as covert hunger, which has resulted in
a variety of micronutrient deficiencies.

The efforts to achieve food security through the subsidisation of inputs, price support,
procurement, inclusion in PDS, and other incentives for highly productive crops like rice and
wheat have reduced the area under millets production, depriving consumers of the wealth of
advantages that come with eating them. These Supply–Demand changes have placed the millet
prices high and thus have limited their accessibility. In terms of various policy interventions
from 2012 to 2021, the focus is realigning towards mainstreaming millets (FAO, 2020).

The Government of India's policy initiatives' timetable

 Intensive Millet Promotion Initiative for Nutritional Security (INSIMP) at 2012

 'Coarse grains' are covered by the National Food Security (NFS) Act of 2013.
 In its National Nutrition Strategy (NNS) for "Nourishing India," released in 2017, the
Government of India's NITI Aayog recommends that the MoA & FW strengthen cereal
productivity and production diversity, including the production of "coarse" cereals like
millets. The National Food Security Mission (NFSM) now includes millets, and the
Government of India has proclaimed 2018 as the "National Year of Millets" (NITI
Aayog, 2018).
 Millets are officially recognised as "Nutri-cereals" as of 2018.
 GoI sent a proposal to United Nations in 2018 declaring 2023 as the ‘International Year
of Millets’
 In 2021, the UN General Assembly adopted the proposal and proclaimed 2023 as the
"International Year of Millets.
 International Year of Millets 2023

Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millets Promotion (INSIMP):

Launched in 2011–12 as part of the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY–National
Agriculture Development Plan), INSIMP is the first initiative in India to promote millet
production and consumption for dietary security. The plan was designed to help the States by
giving money for crucial components of the millet value chain, such as seed production, the
installation of processing facilities, and the organisation of awareness-raising events. Arunachal
Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West
Bengal, and Sikkim are among the 16 states that are putting the scheme into practise. It targeted
149 districts in 16 States totaling 6.71 lakh hectares.
The components of the Scheme are:

 Production
 Seed Production
 Post-Harvest and Value Addition
 Research Activities
 Awareness Campaign
The Programme also provided funding to establish three National Centres of Excellence
(CoEs) in 2011: Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCS HAU), Hissar,
for pearl millet; ICAR-IIMR, Hyderabad, for sorghum; and University of Agriculture Sciences,
Bengaluru, for finger millet and small millets, among others. The districts with large millets crop
areas (more than 10,000 ha for sorghum and pearl millet, more than 5,000 ha for finger millet, or
more than 2,000 ha for small millets) and productivity below the national average yield were
given consideration for promotion under this programme. Technology demonstrations in farmers'
fields were planned to increase millets' output. There were organised protests in the fields of the
farmers. The farmers received financial support for input kits and seed minikits. Additionally,
farmers' capacity was built by setting up training programmes. An incentive of Rs. 3,000 per
quintal for hybrid and Rs. 1000 per quintal for High Yielding Varieties (HYVs) was offered to
encourage new varieties and hybrids, increase the supply of seeds, and lower the cost for
farmers.

Impact of the Scheme :

Since its inception in 2011–12, the programme has had a good influence on millet
production, increasing productivity as a result of the consistent supply of high-quality HYV and
hybrid seeds, the development of new consumer products, and raising awareness of the
nutritional qualities and health advantages of millets. Through technology demonstrations, input
distribution, financial support, and assistance with post-harvest value addition, it has given
farmers a boost. The plan paved the way for the adoption of the millet missions by various states.
 It encompassed 772,857 hectares across 16 States and showed how to improve crop
production and post-harvest procedures as well as strategies to increase crop value. There has
been a growth in the area planted with sorghum in AP and Tamil Nadu, finger millet in
Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, and small millets in AP, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
Small millets have produced higher yield gains in the states of Uttar Pradesh (33%) Karnataka
(28%), Tamil Nadu (13%), and Uttarakhand (3%). This has made it possible for many farmers to
plant millets by aiding in their financial support. Hybrids and HYVs that had recently been
developed gained popularity, and many of these types were included to the seed system.
The Scheme has increased consumer demand for millet-based products through
processing and value addition strategies. The Centres of Excellence (CoEs) created as part of this
initiative are operating well. By displaying the processing methods and providing
troubleshooting, CoE of ICAR-IIMR takes the lead in sorghum/millet processing and value
addition. The IIMR is also developing equipment for primary and secondary processing. In order
to process millet in ways including flaking, extrusion, biscuit-making, primary parboiling,
dehulling, and milling sorghum, 30 processing machines that were designed for processing rice
and wheat were converted. Some of the equipment has been scaled up, including the suji-making
line, the dehulling, flaking, and cookie-making lines. Some of these technologies have been
replicated in more than 300 processing clusters spread across the millet growing States in the
country.

National Food Security Mission (NFSM):

To boost the production of rice, wheat, and pulses through area extension and productivity
enhancement, restoring soil fertility and productivity, and enhancing farm level economies, the
National Food Security Mission was established in 2007–2008. From 2014 to 2015, the coarse
cereals were covered under NFSM. The mission was continued throughout the 12th Five Year
Plan with a new goal of producing 25 million tonnes of additional food grains by the conclusion
of the XII Plan, including 10 million tonnes of rice, 8 million tonnes of wheat, 4 million tonnes
of pulses, and 3 million tonnes of coarse cereals.

212 districts across 14 states are implementing the NFSM-Nutri-Cereals programme. According
to the NFSM-Coarse Cereals, barley is being implemented in 39 districts across 4 states, whereas
maize is being implemented in 237 districts across 26 states and 2 UTs, including Jammu &
Kashmir and Ladakh. The two UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, the North Eastern States,
and Himachal Pradesh have been allowed flexibility to carry out the nutri-cereals initiative.

Efforts made to increase the production and productivity of Nutri-Cereals starting in 2018–19:

 Breeder seed production of nutri-cereals.

 Creation of seed hubs.
 Certified seed production.
 Seed mini-kits allocation.
 Strengthening/creation of Centers of Excellence.
 Publicity of nutri-cereals.
Impact of the Scheme:

Beyond the 12th Plan, the mission is being carried out with new additional targets of 13
million tonnes of foodgrains from 2017–18 to 2019–20, consisting of 5 million tonnes of rice, 3
million tonnes of wheat, 3 million tonnes of pulses, and 2 million tonnes of nutri–cum–coarse
cereals, with an additional objective to improve post–harvest value addition at farm gate for
better price realisation to farmers through effective market linkages. After that, the output goal
for each year was established on a yearly basis.

State-led initiatives and missions to promote millets

Different States/UTs have undertaken a variety of missions, programmes, and efforts to

increase millets' production and consumption.

Comprehensive revival of Millets cultivation by tribals in north coastal areas and parts of
Rayalaseema, Andhra Pradesh:

In 2016, the Andhra Pradesh State Government initiated a programme on the

Comprehensive Revival of Tribals' Millets Cultivation in North Coastal Andhra and Parts of
Rayalaseema. This initiative seeks to boost output, household consumption, value addition
through the creation of ragi biscuits, idli, and dosas, marketing assistance, the establishment of
processing centres, and seed production facilities. The Agricultural Technology Management
Agency (ATMA), WASSAN as the principal technical agency, and NGOs as the facilitating
agencies all work together to implement it. The goal is to spread awareness of the millet culinary
heritage at all levels and assist in making the case for consuming nutrient-dense millets as part of
a healthy diet. A commission was formed to determine the MSP for sorghum, and a board for the
promotion of millets was established in the state. For the production of millets and other millets-
related matters, a technical committee was also established. Millets were purchased using
MARKFED and FPOs. A Telugu-language book on millet recipes has been released. A trial
programme to include a millet dish for expectant and nursing mothers was started. In order to
increase food and nutritional security for tribal people and turn North Coastal Andhra into a
millet centre, the Scheme concentrated on initiating awareness efforts.

Impact of the Scheme:

The state's millet production climbed to roughly 2.35 lakh quintals (23500MT), or about
5000 quintals per Mandal. About one lakh households increased their consumption of millet. As
surplus produce became available for inclusion in the Public Distribution System (PDS),
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), and Mid-Day Meal (MDM), it had a cascading
and compounding effect.

For improved value realisation for farmers, local millet processing businesses have also
grown and millet markets and value chains have been formed. Wider spacing, early seedling
emergence, mechanical weeding, application of Jeevamrutam, and other first experiments in
small millet intensification along the lines of System of Ragi Intensification in finger millet
produced encouraging results. Positive results were seen through awareness initiatives like the
millet festival at the National Centre for Management of Agricultural Extension in Hyderabad.
The programme, which assisted in boosting millets cultivation on 28,000 acres of land and a
system of millets intensification (SMI) on 4000 acres of land, engaged a total of 7 districts, 44
mandals, and 35 NGOs. A lot of companies started working on millet value addition; in
particular, the Kovel Foundation is putting the millet project into action in the Ananthagiri
mandal, which has 64 habitations in 10 gramme panchayats.

Andhra Pradesh Drought Mitigation Project (APDMP):

The Andhra Pradesh Drought Mitigation Project (APDMP), a project financed by IFAD
and GoAP, is an organised and methodical attempt to address the general problem of recurring
drought, increase the earnings of 95,000 agricultural households, and improve their drought
resilience. In the worst-affected 105 blocks (sometimes known to as clusters) in the southern AP
districts of Ananthapuramu, Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool (the Rayalaseema region), and Prakasam,
the project aims to increase agricultural output and adaptation in the 315 drought-prone Gramme
Panchayats.

Impact of the Scheme:

In the project region, the millet area rose by 44%, from 19,337 hectare to 27,850 hectare,
and this also guaranteed the rural inhabitants' nutritional security. The cost of cultivation was
reduced, and production grew steadily. With a repurchase agreement of the Little Millet &
Barnyard millet produce from 150 acres, two FPOs in the Kurnool district formed farming
agreements with M/s Sattva Millets and Food Products, Anupuram (V) Panyam(M) Kurnool
(Dist). FPOs are well versed with the utilization of electronic platforms in exploring markets for
their output sale. Increased the consumption of millets locally by utilizing the micro millet
dehuller. The project has planned to establish 35 millet processing units for processing the
millets to ready-to-use ingredient by cleaning, removing husk using millet processing
units/machines to encourage the farming community to cultivate millets more and to get the
remunerative price.

Chhattisgarh Millet Mission:

The Chhattisgarh Millet Mission employs a multifaceted strategy to enhance the millets'
complete ecosystem, from production to consumption. The mission of Mission Millets
Chhattisgarh is "Cultivation to Consumption".

The following elements make up the Mission Millets:

 Mission Millets would last for five years and have a budget of Rs. 170 crore from 2021 to
2026.
 As part of the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY), farmers will receive a promotion incentive
of Rs. 9000 per hectare to encourage cultivation.
 The declaration of an MSP of Rs. 30 per kg for kodo and small millets and Rs. 33.77 per
kg for ragi.
 Establishment of a 20 hectare Centre of Excellence for better seed production, training,
cutting-edge machinery, capacity-building technology demos, etc.
  ICAR-IIMR as technical partner for inputs related to production, acquisition, processing,
and value addition. In accordance with the agreed MoU, IIMR will offer assistance and
direction in order to improve the productivity of Kodo, Kutki, and Ragi, technical know-
how, the accessibility of high-quality seeds, and the creation of a seed bank in
Chhattisgarh.
 The Chhattisgarh Minor Forest Produce Cooperative Federation (CGMFP) will establish
50 cleaning and grading units, 10 dehulling units, and other facilities throughout the State
in 2021–2022. Millets will be purchased by CGMFP Federation, which works with the
1.2 million tribal residents of the State and has more than 18,000 procurement centres for
minor forest produce, at MSP.
 Promoting local processing facilities with private funding: An MoU for a 10,000 MTPA
millet has already been signed.
 Increasing millets intake by distributing millets under the PDS programme. Provide value
added millet products under Mid-Day Meal and ICDS.
Impact of the Scheme:

The initiative is still in its intial stages.. It aims to raise the output from 0.45MT/hectare
to roughly 1MT/hectare, boost the per capita consumption of millets in the State, and expand the
area under millet cultivation from 69,000 hectare to 1,88,400 hectare.

Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana, Haryana:

Bharpayee Yojana was established with the goal of encouraging farmers to diversify their
agricultural practises while reducing risk for farmers by fixing protected prices at times when
market prices for fruits and vegetables are low. In order to incentivize private players to purchase
the bajra grains that the Government purchases at Rs. 2,250 per quintal as per Minimum Support
Price (MSP), the Haryana government stated that bajra would be included in the Bhavantar
Bharpayee Yojana beginning with the kharif season of 2021. After verifying the crops, the
government will pay farmers the difference in price up to Rs. 600 per quintal on average of the
yield in the event that the private players pay less. The "Bhavantar" price is used to describe the
price gap between the average market price and the MSP for bajra. The first State in the nation to
implement such a Scheme is Haryana. There are currently at least 21 horticultural crops covered
by the Scheme.
 Only Haryana farmers who have registered on the "Meri Fasal, Mera Byora" site to
purchase bajra are eligible for the Scheme. While there are 199 procurement centres for the
purchase of paddy and 86 for the buying of bajra, 38 for the purchase of moong, 19 for the
purchase of maize, 7 for the purchase of groundnuts. As a backup in case there is a significant
influx of produce at the procurement centres, additional procurement sites have also been
developed.

Impact of the Scheme:

The Programme was created with the intention of protecting farmers' investments. Some
vegetable crops have been identified for the Scheme and now Bajra farmers also benefit. On the
'Meri fasal, Mera Byora' platform for bajra, 2.71 lakh farmers have registered for the kharif
season of 2021. This Programme is a blessing for the Haryana millet farmers because it assisted
in the socioeconomic betterment of the State's impoverished and marginal farmers. Additionally,
it encouraged the farmers to increase the area planted with millet. The bajra's cultivation and
consumption in Haryana will benefit from the private entities' purchase of the crop. The
Scheme's success will make it possible for other millet-growing states to imitate it.

Promoting Kodo and Little Millets in Madhya Pradesh:

Under the Center's Nutri-Cereal Scheme, Madhya Pradesh chose to promote Kodo and
Little millets among the tribal communities of the Mandla district, where the nonprofit Action
for Social Advancement (ASA) had identified roughly 30–40 villages for millets promotion. The
farmers who grew millet in this region encountered issues with stone removal in the millets; even
after dehulling, stones remain intermingled with the grains and must be manually removed. The
district's Agriculture Department has twenty dehulling machines that were installed with
assistance from the Madhya Pradesh government. In order to promote millets, the State
Government is also attempting to acquire processing facilities. Additionally, they are attempting
to obtain a large equipment from the Central Institute of Agriculture Engineering in Bhopal.
ASA is receiving technical advice on millet-based recipes from the Chennai-based nonprofit MS
Swaminathan Research Foundation.

Impact of the Scheme:

 Kodo and Little millets are acknowledged as essential resources to help farmers adapt to
climate change, which is increasing the pressure of drought in eastern Madhya Pradesh. In the
tribal districts of Mandla and Dindori, small millets are being produced and consumed in greater
quantities. More than 5000 women in the area have seen significant changes in their life as a
result, becoming financially and socially independent and serving as role models for many others
in the area. In Dindori, about 3700 women from 41 communities are currently cultivating small
millets. The WCD Department has also assisted these women in creating Self-Help Groups as
part of the MPVEVM's Tejaswini Rural Women Empowerment Programme in order to provide
them with technical support. They were given loans to assist them in purchasing crop processing
machinery. The Women and Child Development Department and these female farmers signed an
MoU. They are serving Kodu barfi for breakfast to 5000 children at 226 anganwadis centres

Odisha Millets Mission:

To promote millets (Ragi) as a staple crop in the farming system, the Odisha Millet
Mission (OMM) was established in 2017. The production, processing, consumption, marketing,
and incorporation of millets into government programmes are all focal points of this project,
which is the first in the Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment Department. This project was
born out of consultation between the State government, academia, and civil society.

The objectives of OMM are as follows:

Increasing millet crop yield through enhanced agronomic practises; promoting FPOs for
marketing; establishing a decentralised processing facility; and including millets in ICDS, MDM,
and PDS.

Entire project is implemented by FPOs with support of local NGOs under the guidance of
line departments at district and block level.

Impact of the Scheme:

The Mission began in 2017 with 30 Blocks (7 Districts), but as a result of the farmers'
enthusiastic response and demand, it has since grown to 142 Blocks (19 Districts) as of this
writing. Ragi takes up more than 86% of the 54495.83 hectares that are being used for millets
cultivation. Through enhanced agronomic techniques, millet growing has been embraced by
more than 11 lakh farmers. OMM has obtained 3,23,000 quintals (3,2300MT) of millets from
41,286 farmers during the Kharif marketing season of 2021–2022. OMM has registered over 76
Farmer Producer Organisations. Odisha has carried out 45 Participatory Varietal Trails, resulting
in the identification of 103 distinct traditional varieties and 14 distinct improved varieties. More
than 50 lakh beneficiaries in 14 districts received ragi under PDS. OMM anticipates both supply
side and demand side aspects of millet use.

As part of the ICDS programme, ragi laddu has been made available as a morning snack
for preschoolers in Keonjhar and Sundargarh. Currently, Ragi Laddu serves 1,50,682
preschoolers and 7066 anganwadi locations. To sell hot cooked millet-based dishes and bakery
goods, Millet Shakti Cafes have been developed all throughout Odisha. In the past two years,
more than 45 events have been planned, and 4.4 lakh people have received millet-based food
items.

The PDS and ICDS Schemes included the purchased ragi-based entitlements. By
including ragi-based preparations into MDM, these efforts are expected to be strengthened. As a
result, the attention has been on the group of kids who are nutritionally fragile. Mechanised and
decentralised processing of millets at the block level has increased agricultural productivity and
decreased the labor-intensive nature of millet production for women. An increase in the area
under millet production has been brought on by the assured market for finger millet. Due to this,
farmers are now more drought-resistant. Lack of rainfall hindered the cultivation of paddy,
although it had no effect on non-paddy crops.

Tamil Nadu Millets Mission:.

The following elements are part of the NADP Millet Mission's goals in Tamil Nadu:
 Planning a frontline demonstration across 11,500 hectares of millet-growing regions.
 The distribution of 11,500 kits including liquid biofertilizer, micronutrients, fungicides,
pesticides, and other agricultural chemicals to the farmers who will benefit from them, at
a subsidy rate of Rs. 3000/hectare for major millets and Rs. 2000/hectare for small
millets, with a maximum area of 2 ha in millets.
 Instruction on millets farming and value-addition to farmers.
For Self-Help Groups, a series of workshops on millets' function in preventing diabetes, general
nutritional value, and money generating were organised. Officials from the agricultural
department were made more aware of the value of millets. The Planning Commission created the
plans based on agricultural compatibility and meteorological factors to maximise benefits for
arid districts. Additionally, the State and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU)
collaborated to optimise the huller and narrow the spacing between the rolling wheels. This made
sure that the nutrients in the polished grain were still present. Additionally, mini-mills built
specifically for millets were ordered.

Impact of the Scheme:

The Millet Mission's overall goal was to boost millet productivity to 4000 Kg/hectare. As
a result of this policy-driven endeavour, millet production and area under millet cultivation have
more than doubled in Tamil Nadu over the past five years. The conservation of soil moisture rose
by 10%, and the condition of the soil has improved. The Mission made millet processing and
post-harvest technological awareness and acceptance possible, as well as the diffusion of millet
farming technology. The Mission has raised consumer demand for foods made from millets,
which has enhanced farmer revenue. Additionally, it inspired the farmers to start their own
businesses. The Millet Mission also contributed to the conversion of fallow land into cultivable
land, the coordinated use of water through drip irrigation, the spread of newly released millets
and market-preferred millets, the preservation of nutrients and soil in low productivity areas, and
the intensification of crop diversification from highly water-intensive crops to less water-
intensive crops. The State produced coarse cereals successfully, earning it the Krishi Karman
Award in 2014–15.

Mission on Sustainable Dry Land Agriculture, Tamil Nadu:

The State Government announced the Mission on Sustainable Dryland Agriculture

(MSDA) with a sanctioned amount of Rs. 802.9 Crore in 25 districts with the main objective of
developing 25 lakh acres of dryland by forming 1000 dry land clusters of 2,500 acres each with a
focus on increasing the income of farmers in dryland areas. The conversion of many dry land
agricultural regions into rich land for millet cultivation has been found.

Impact of the Scheme:

The transformation of millet and other crop agriculture has been greatly impacted by
MSDA. Although there was a 24% shortage in rainfall, the overall area of millet expanded by
25%. In order to help 3.70 lakh dry land farmers, Rs. 100 crores were allocated to 10 lakh acres
of dry land during 2019–20. This was done by creating 400 additional dryland clusters and
carrying out welfare programmes. With the delivery of seeds and other inputs at 50% cost with
extended subsidies to 5.73 Lakh dryland farmers and ploughing subsidies at Rs. 500/acre for 15
lakh acres, the cultivation of millets, pulses, oil seeds, and cotton on 15 lakh acres of dry land
was encouraged. There are now 801 village-level Custom Hiring Centres, allowing for prompt
machine availability and giving rural youth jobs. Through this programme, dryland farmers were
taught improved dryland technologies and ways to conserve soil moisture in order to increase the
output of dryland crops like millets and boost the socioeconomic standing of the farming
community.

Procurement and Processing for Value addition of Millets, Uttarakhand:

In each of the approved millet-growing clusters in the State, Collection Centres are to be
established as part of the project. These facilities will serve as the primary points of contact for
farmers and offer the fundamental necessities in terms of infrastructure for the collection,
analysis, weighing, and bagging of agricultural produce. The Multipurpose Primary Agricultural
Cooperative Societies (MPACS) of the Cooperative Department facilitate the purchase of such
crops on behalf of their farmer members. The crop is then delivered to the multigrain processing
facility for additional storage, processing, and market connections, providing the farmers with a
twofold profit.

The project plans to establish a strong supply chain that supports infrastructure, market
connections, logistics, ensures the removal of systematic barriers, and ensures farmers receive a
fair price for their produce in order to encourage sustainable agriculture enterprises. In the case
of millets, a buyback guarantee will be provided through an unofficial arrangement in which the
farmers voluntarily sell the crop to the Co-operative Federation (UCF). The federation will also
create a staff of extension specialists to help farmers receive excellent inputs through their
Primary Input Cooperative Societies.

Under the proposed intervention, an assured buyback Scheme is suggested in order to

prevent suffering brought on by price changes. Under the supervision of various MPACS, a
system would be built up that would allow for the estimation of each farm's potential production
while also supplying inputs and offering extension services to each farmer. In order to transport
and store the crops, they must be brought to the UCF Project site in the Haldwani (Halduchaud)
District of Nainital. Additionally, it is suggested that a multigrain processing facility be built
there for the primary and secondary processing of such crops.

Impact of the Project:

Under the pilot project during 2021 UCF was able to procure a total of 131.2 MT of
Finger Millets and Barnyard Millets. At table 2 procurement, selling and average selling price
under the project are given.

Conclusion:

Widespread millet farming has the potential to help farmers protect their means of
subsistence in the face of climate change. Due to millets' high nutritional value, widespread
adoption of them can also aid in the fight against lifestyle disorders like diabetes. The
government has taken a number of commendable initiatives to encourage millet production,
which have had a positive impact and can be adopted, replicated, and scaled up. These initiatives
give us a special chance to involve all stakeholders in promoting the production, productivity,
and consumption of millets as well as reviving the forgotten roots of millets in the nation.
 Table 1: Trend in the area, production and productivity of millets (2012 – 2022)

Year Area(Mn ha) Productivity (MT/ ha)) Production (Mn MT)

2012 15.4 1.04 16.03
2013 15.48 1.11 17.205
2014 15.28 1.12 17.08
2015 14.99 0.97 14.52
2016 14.72 1.1 16.13
2017 14.25 1.15 16.44
2018 12.54 1.09 13.72
2019 13.83 1.25 17.26
2020 13.63 1.32 18.02
2021 13.6 1.17 15.9
2022 14 1.26 17.6
CGR -1.496 1.983 0.452
Source: APEDA

Table 2: Procurement, selling and average selling price under the project

Product Procured Quantityy (qtl) Sold Quantity (qtl) Average Price(Rs)

Finger Millet 851.89 90.07 3,400.00

Banyard Millet 460.16 195.12 4,169.18
Source: NITI Aayog
Reference:

 Sen, R. K., Meena, H. K., & Shekhar, V. (2023). Promoting millets in diets: best
practices across States/UTs of India. NITI Aayog. ISBN : 978-81-956821-5-7.
 YES BANK, & APEDA(2022). Indian superfood millets: A USD 2 billion export
opportunity.
 B. Dayakar Rao, Raj Bhandari, and Tonapi, VA, K. (2021). “White Paper on Millets – A
Policy Note on Mainstreaming Millets for Nutrition Security”. ICAR-Indian Institute of
Millets Research (IIMR), Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-500030
 https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1845652
 https://agricoop.nic.in/sites/default/files/Crops%20Overview%20Detail.pdf
 https://www.indiatimes.com/explainers/news/why-government-is-promoting-millet-as-
the-food-of-the-future-587989.html