Promoting Kodo and Little Millets in Madhya Pradesh

Summary of the Initiative

Madhya Pradesh is promoting millets, especially Kodo and Little millet, under the Centre’s Nutri Cereal Scheme. In the tribal districts of Mandla and Dindori, Action for Social Advancement (ASA), a non-profit organisation, has identified around 30-40 villages for millet promotion.

Situation before Initiative

The Gond tribals in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh have been cultivating and consuming millets since generations, but many families have stopped or reduced cultivation and consumption due to commercialization of crops like, paddy, cotton, ground nut etc. They are now consuming rice because of free distribution through PDS. Non-availability of modernized millet processing machines is also a reason for shifting from millets to rice and other crops. Recently with the intervention of the Government and other NGOs these tribal families started growing millets as they became aware of its water efficiency and nutritional benefits.

Nature of Initiative

Madhya Pradesh decided to promote Kodo and Little millets, under the Centre’s Nutri-Cereal Scheme in the tribal areas of Mandla district where the non-profit Action for Social Advancement (ASA) identified around 30-40 villages for millets promotion. The millet cultivating farmers in this area were facing problems with stone removal in the millets and even after dehulling, stones remain mixed with the grains and they have to be separated manually. With the help of the Government of Madhya Pradesh, twenty dehulling machines have been set up by the Agriculture Department in the district. Further State Government is also working on procuring processing units with a view to popularize millets. They are also trying to get a big machine from the Bhopal-based Central Institute of Agriculture Engineering which helps in processing and separating the stones. ASA is taking technical guidance from the Chennai-based nonprofit MS Swaminathan Research Foundation on millet-based recipes.

Impact of Initiative

Kodo and Little millets are recognized as key assets to support farmer adaptation to climate change, which is bringing greater drought pressure to eastern Madhya Pradesh. Production and consumption of little millets have improved in tribal districts of Mandla and Dindori. It has brought a major change in the lives of over 5000 women in areas who are now financially and socially empowered, inspiring many others in the region. About 3700 women of 41 villages in Dindori are now producing minor millets. The WCD Department has also contributed to help these women form Self-Help Groups under Tejaswini Rural Women Empowerment Programme of Madhya Pradesh Mahila Vitta Evam Vikas Nigam (MPVEVM) to help them technically. Loans have been given to them to purchase processing machines for their crops. The Women and Child Development Department signed an MoU with these women farmers. They are supplying breakfast of Kodu barfi for 5000 children of 226 anganwadis centres.

Source : State Missions and Initiatives to Promote Millets