Millets
Millets: Nodal Thematic Design
Target:
• Retrieve the area lost (2001 / 1991 .. Level)
• Retrieve the diets (share of millets in the diet)
Approach:
• Not much promotion of niche consumption
• But, bulk consumption
Strategy:
• Demand pull-through public food programs (ICDS, MDM,
PDS)
• Local millet clusters (production-processing-consumption)
Programs to converge:
• INSIMP
• ICDS/ MDM / PDS
Activities of Millets Node, RRA
Visits completed since December 2012 to March 2013
RRA-Malkangiri
Odisha
RRA-Doultabad
Andhra Pradesh
SPS-Dewas
Madhya Pradesh
Main observations
Malkangiri:
Low productivity of millets
generally grown on uplands /
Absence of high yielding varieties
Finger millet still regularly consumed
Doultabad
Rice and groundnut replaced finger millet
Reduction in inter-cropping reduced millets area
Cultivation & Consumption - scarce to very low
SPS
Sorghum still under cultivation but very limited
Maize replaced sorghum acreage
Cultivation & consumption closely linked to their culture / rituals
Activities of Millets Node, RRA
Initiatives from Millets node
• Prepared and submitted concept note on inclusion of millets
in ICDS to District collector in Malkangiri
• Shared the proposal on inclusion of millets with CP partners
• Convergence with INSIMP planned and prepared a note on
this and shared with VSK, WASSAN and Malkangiri
• Planning for trainings to farmers and resource persons on
millets
Activities of Millets Node, RRA
Policy Initiatives
•
Initiated a pilot of millets in Srikakulam District of Andhra Pradesh
through collaborating with another project (RESMISA) funded by IDRC &
CIDA and anchored by DHAN foundation
•
Shared idea of inclusion of millets in ICDS to ameliorate malnutrition in
NIPCCD, Indore, during the meeting organized by the Ministry of
Women and Child welfare and AP Government’s Beaurocrat (Principal
Secretaries of Women Development, Health and Finance)
•
Actively contributing to the development o Nutrition Policy for Andhra
Pradesh, which can be used in other CP locations to influeunce upon
the district administration
Activities of Millets Node, RRA
Plan for the current year
•
Preparation of policy brief
•
Visit to other CP locations
•
Procurement and supply of millet seeds
•
Organize trainings to farmers
•
Complete Web page and regular updation of the webpage
•
Collaboration with ICRISAT for a policy brief study
NEED TO DO A STRATEGIC PLANNNING EXERCISE