Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 27: The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved an ambitious Rs 15 crore project to prop up nutri cereals besides promoting and enhancing millet production and consumption in the Union Territory.
The project, planned to be implemented over a period of three years, aims to promote cultivation of millets, increase their value addition and generate entrepreneurship opportunities for farmers. The initiative also seeks to generate awareness regarding the nutritional value of millets, which are rich in proteins, micronutrients, and phytochemicals.
Millets are known as the “miracle grains” or “crops of the future” due to their resilience to climate change. They can grow in drought prone areas and do not require large amounts of water or external inputs, making them an ideal crop for small scale farmers in Jammu and Kashmir. It is also a dual purpose crop, providing both food and fodder besides contributing to the economic efficiency of farming.
“Despite growing awareness and popularity of millets, their production and consumption is still limited and there are several challenges that need to be addressed. One of the significant challenges is the lack of awareness and knowledge about millets among farmers and consumers”, said Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department.
“Many farmers are still unaware of the benefits of millet cultivation and continue to struggle to cultivate high-input crops, resulting in depletion of soil fertility and water resources, these are the issues that this ambitious initiative seeks to address”, he added.
The project aims to revive over 8000 ha of traditional millet-growing areas with better packages of practices, add an additional 6000 ha under millet cultivation and double per-hectare productivity from 10 to 20 quintals.
Additionally, 60 millet processing units and 60 millet restaurants serving millet-based food products will be established creating 6500 jobs and 120 enterprises in the whole process. Capacity building will be another key focus, with the aim of training 6000 farmers to increase productivity and profitability.
Eventually, the project envisaging promotion of millets in Jammu and Kashmir is an important initiative that can address some of the challenges faced by farmers in the region while providing numerous benefits to the region’s economy, nutrition and sustainability. By prioritizing promotion of resilient crops like millets, the project can contribute towards creating sustainable and thriving agricultural communities that will be better equipped to face the challenges of a changing climate.
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