Millet cultivation to get big push

The University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Dharwad, will lead the Rs 4 crore (C$995,000 Canadian dollars) two-year research project funded by the International Development Research Centre and Canadian International Development Agency under the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF) in India.

The project “Strengthening of Rural Families Through Empowerment by Introducing Food Security Through Production, Processing and Value Addition of Regional Staple Foodgrains” will focus on promoting millet in India and also raise the income levels of farmers. Along with UAS, Dharwad, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Chennai, and Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation (Hesco) will be partners in executing the project.

The Canadian compon-ent of the project will be led by McGill University, which will conduct research to design and develop efficient grain processing technolo-gies and also develop diversified products.

The project will be implemented in four districts — Haveri in Karnataka, Namakkal in Tamil Nadu, Koraput in Orissa and Rudra Prayag in Uttarakhand — where millet is grown.

Speaking to reporters, Graduate Programme Director of James McGill University Vijaya Raghavan said, it was a matter of concern that using millets had come down in its traditional areas due to laborious work involved and easy availability of rice. However, millet has rich nutritional content and is non-glycemic. It helps ensure both nutrition and economic security to the rural people provided easier technology to prepare food was introduced.

“Like the chapathi-making machines, jowar roti-making machines too can be introduced,” he said.

The project involves promotion of productivity of local crops, four species of small millet (ragi, savi and navane) and grain amaranth and associated legumes grown in the traditional cropping system. Also, capacity building of female and male farmers on several aspects of project activities and nutritional literacy of women and children are embedded in the project as cross cutting activities to impart sustainability to the project, he said.

Earlier, inaugurating the inception workshop on str-engthening the rural families through empowerment by introducing food security, Vijay Raghavan said, attain-ing food security for the 1.15 billion population is top priority and in achieving this, a balance in food, energy and environment has to be maintained.

Senior programme specialist Sara Ahmed presented the principles and focus areas of IRDC and CIDA.

UAS V-C R R Hanchinal presiding over the programme said break in the vicious cycle of food, social, economic and political insecurity has to be addressed.