As part of the International Year of Millet, 2023 by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, the Model Millet Project (MMP) was launched to popularise millet cultivation among farmers at Jirsong Asong on Monday.
Principal Secretary, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), Mukul Kumar Saikia was the special guest at the launch programme. The MMP was launched by NABARD and undertaken by Jirsong Asong to encourage local farmers to take up millet cultivation in Assam as well as in the Karbi Anglong district.
The principal secretary also released a book ‘Konidhan’ – The Millets of Assam, an initiative by NABARD.
Inaugurating the MMP, the principal secretary said millet can be grown in warm climates with very little water. Karbi Anglong falls under a rain shadow area and is very favourable for millet cultivation, he said.
“Millet is not a new crop for us. Our forefathers have cultivated millet, but it has been forgotten. Now it needs to be revived. To popularise the cultivation of millet, the government of India has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millet,” he stated.
Saikia also said there two reasons why millet cultivation should be popularised -- to create a green revolution through millet cultivation; and creating consciousness about its nutritional value as it is known to be a super food rich in protein, calcium and fibre.
He further said that the KAAC is committed to reviving the cultivation of millet in Karbi Anglong.
The principal secretary thanked NABARD and Jirsong Asong for taking the initiative in reviving and encouraging farmers for millet cultivation.
District Development Manager, NABARD, Bendang Aier said NABARD has organsed Millet Day and launched Model Millet Project in 23 districts of Assam covering 1,150 farmers with total grant assistance of INR 3 crore to nodal agencies for its implementation to commemorate the launching of International Year of Millets, 2023.
He said the government of India has taken several steps for the promotion of millets to create domestic and global demand and to provide nutritional food to the people. He said millet is one of the oldest food grains known to mankind and possibly the first cereal grain used for domestic purposes. They can adapt themselves to marginal soils and can survive and grow in warm climates with very little water.
In the Karbi Anglong district, millets have been part of the jhum fields and an integral part of the traditional food system. However, over the years, millets have gradually faded away and it is hardly visible in the jhum fields. Against this backdrop, some farmers in the district are now bringing this golden grain back to the food system, he said.
Aier further said the MMP of NABARD for West Kari Anglong district will benefit 50 farmers. The project encompasses the cultivation of foxtail millet on 50 acres of land with 1 acre per farmer. Training and capacity building, exposure visits, processing, installation of post-harvest machinery, branding, labeling, marketing linkages and others will be given to farmers.
He said out of the 25 millet growing districts in the Assam, the position of Kari Anglong is 10th with 229 hectares under millet cultivation, production of 152 tonnes and productivity of 665 kg per hectare.
Director of Jirsong Asong, Fr. Thankachen Joseph, said the two main purposes of millet cultivation are for the improvement of health and raising the additional income of the family.
He thanked NABARD for the support given to MMP to popularise and encourage local farmers to take up millet cultivation.
Chief Manager SBI and Lead District Manager (LDM) Navin Basumatary and District Programme Manager, Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission (ASRLM), Sidque Ahmed also spoke on the need for the revival of millet cultivation.
Millet seeds were also distributed to farmers. The programme was attended by farmers who have taken up millet cultivation.