Green Foundation

Farmers Field Day

Varietal Demonstration on Minor Millets (Gods Own Crops)

Millets are considered as “Miracle Grain” because of the rich nutritional content acquired by them. Importance of these grains in day to day foods got undermined with the invent of Green Revolution when only two crops, the rice and wheat gained priority and found exclusive place even in public distribution system. There were campaigns throughout the country to grow and eat more of rice and wheat and inflicted a kind of biased attitude towards these miracle grains. Eventually the minor millets got sidelined and over a decade started vanishing from the agricultural scenes in irrigated belts. However in the rain-fed areas which form 65% of the total arable land in the country, millets continued to sustain the farming families. Today the millets contribute to incredible 44% of the total food grain produced in the country. More than 2/3rds of the country’s livestock live in the millet regions.

Most of the millet fields are inherently biodiverse. The recent analysis of millets in farming system has come to amazing conclusion that millet farming saves nearly six million liters of water per acre, a bonanza for water starved times we are living in. Since much of the millet farming is ecological and can grow even in difficult fallow land strips, it generates a unique phenomenon called ‘uncultivated foods’ which shore up the food and nutritional security for the poor. They are the ultimate crop which stands up in the coming crisis of climate change.

The North Karnataka network of GREEN Foundation had initiated a campaign to popularize and reintegrate these miracle grains into the main stream agriculture of the rain fed areas under northern maidan regions of Karnataka state. In collaboration with the community seed bank members at Jantlishirur near Homabal, Gadag under the guidance of a famous Jagadguru Math in Gadag, GREEN Foundation has sown 18 varieties of bajra, three varieties of proso millet (baragu), four varieties of little millet (samai), eight varieties of kharif jowar and four varieties of foxtail millets in four acres of Math’s land as a demo plot. Each variety was bifurcated by red gram strips which inturn acted as a mixed crop with the main crop. All the varieties had reached harvesting stage and the area, approximately four acres was blooming like a bride. To make the farmers aware of cultivating minor millets on their farm, a much expected littering ceremony – “Field day” was organized on 24th October, 2008 at Jagadguru Math, Gadag. Over 350 farmers, nearly half of them women had assembled to witness the occasion. They had come from nearby villages and also from far off places, as far as Bijapur and Ramnagaram, 500 kms away.

This field day was followed by a session organized on the issue of millets mainly to make them aware about the nutritional importance of minor millets; benefits from mixed cropping, productive capabilities of such crops under drought and options for value addition, marketing support etc. Dr Satheesh, an agricultural scientist and a star campaigner for millets from Deccan Development Society, Hyderabad spoke on the issue of “minor millet cultivation” in vernacular language supported by a documentary film-show. He emphasized the importance of millets for food sovereignty, biodiversity and livelihood security, health and nutritional security and the development agenda. Women participants out numbered males in raising important queries on package of practices, market support and value addition skills. Chief Pontiff of the Jagadguru Math Shri Siddhalingeshwara Swamiji delivered a key note address to the participants. He recalled how the millets protected farmers’ livelihoods even in adverse environmental conditions like drought during 1960s. He stressed the farmers to devote some area to retain these varieties and consume them for their nutritional and medical importance. Dr.B.R.Athani and Shivaraj from GREEN Foundation spoke on the issue and emphasized that every community seed bank shall have these varieties conserved with them and all members should multiply them as these are the only grains that survive under vagaries of climate and provide food for the future. A noted front line organic agriculturist and campaigner of the region Mr. Bharam Gouda also presided over the function and shared his own bitter experiences with mainstream agriculture using modern technology and how he started valuing the traditional knowledge and the local seeds in improving the productivity of his land. He quoted few cases how the women in Medhak region of Andhra Pradesh have organized for cultivation and value addition of millets and their venture in starting the classical “Cafe Ethnic” to cater ready to eat mouth watering food items like Dosa, Idli, Upma, etc to attract and broaden rural eco tourism.

The participants were taken around the demonstration plots and explanations were provided by Mr. Shivaraj. The practical learn and feel events aroused lot of curiosity among them. The event ended finally in the evening with the OATH administered to participants by his holiness Swamiji that every one will protect at least five varieties of traditional seeds from this season and donate at least 2 Kgs of those seeds to Math seed bank depository in every season and strengthen their seed savers net work along with the need to adapt ecological agricultural practices.