Promotion of Millets Through NFSM-NUTRI Cereals Mission, Nagaland

Summary of the Initiative

Millet (Foxtail) is one of the important crops grown in Nagaland for not only table purposes, but also medicinal purposes and the husk for animal feed. During the kharif season, it can be grown in all districts of Nagaland. To promote and increase area, production and productivity, foxtail has been taken up under NFSM- Nutri-Cereals. The interventions under NFSM- Nutri Cereals include front line demonstration, distribution of seed, seed production, integrated nutrient management, integrated pest management and training.

Situation before the Initiative

• Low Awareness of Nutritional Value
• No Seed Production in Village Cluster.
• No Monitoring and Evaluation from Sowing Till Harvest by the Implementing Authorities.
• Non usage of high yielding varieties or improved variety seeds
• Non adoption of improved packages and practices for millet production
• Low or no usage of soil ameliorants like agricultural lime, micronutrients, etc.
• Poor agronomic practices and plant health care

Nature of Initiative

Implementation of Nutri-cereal Program remains with Agriculture Department, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), and Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA). Major target group of millets cultivation are women farmers, small and marginal farmers and progressive farmers.

The main components of the program include the following:

• Promotion of millets cultivation and conservation of seeds germaplasm through different department interventions
• Conservation of traditional varieties by preserving farmers’ Indigenous Technical Knowledge in millets cultivation
• Awareness through trainings, frontline demonstrations, observation of Year of Millets, 2018, Millet Day by different stakeholders like Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Agricultural Technology Management Agency, etc.
• Distribution of seed, seed production, integrated nutrient management, integrated pest management, and trainings in potential areas

Impact of the Initiative

The awareness on the importance of nutritional value has improved. Due to activities under Mission, positive changes have been observed in the behavior, perception and adoption of good practices of millet cultivation, varietal seed conservation, post harvest storage, home based processing and consumption pattern etc. Secondly, seed production and conservation has started at domestic level to some extent. High yielding varieties and improved varieties are also distributed and adopted by farmers to some extent. Further, adoption of improved packages and practices for millet cultivation is taking place with the inception of the initiative.

Source : State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets