Production
Where to grow millet?
Most millets can be grown on low fertility soils. Some in acidic soils, some on saline soils. Millets such as Pearl millet can also be grown on sandy soils, as is done in Rajasthan. In fact, finger millet grows well in saline soils. Barnyard millet too thrives in problem soils, where other crops like rice, struggle to grow in such soils. Many of them are also grown to reclaim soils.
Poor farmers especially in dryland India are owners of very poor lands. Much of the cultivable fallows and low fertility farms have been handed to them through the process of land reforms and the Jajamani system of Inam lands. The only crops that sustain agriculture and food security on these lands are millets.
Reference: Millets: Future of Food & Farming by Millet Network of India, Deccan Development Society, and FIAN, India
Maximum millet cultivation happens in the kharif period, i.e. during the monsoon season. In areas that receive more than 800mm of rains, many of the millets can be cultivated in the second season, i.e. as a rabi crop (during the post monsoon, early winter months). And in some places with the right soil and geography, a few millets can even grow in the third season, during the dark days of winter, drawing on residual moisture in the soil and the dew that precipitates.
Identify right geography, clusters
<context for why geography matters>
Agrometeorological conditions for different millet types (a snapshot)
Pearl Millet
Dry climates, marginal soils, Rainfall 200–500 mm **
Finger Millet
Resist higher temperatures and salinity, temperature 11 to 27 ◦C, soil pH of 5 to 8.2 and a medium rainfall environment **
Proso Millet
Less water, Rainfall less than 600 mm, average temperature 17 ◦C during daytime
Foxtail Millet
Less water **, short duration ***
Barnyard Millet
Drought tolerant, rapid maturation rate **
Kodo Millet
High drought resistance, Good yields, period of 80–135 days **
Consumption pattern of small millets across India
How to identify the millet?
How to promote millets
Most millets grown under traditional practices are a Farming System and not just a crop. Most millet fields are inherently biodiverse. This is the tradition of millet farming in the country. Six to twenty crops are planted on the same space at the same time.
The pulse-based cropping systems are environmentally sustainable also, as they require lower use of fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation in addition to enhancing the productivity of cropping systems by increasing yield of subsequent crops.
Mix-cropping of sorghum and chickpea is well established and prominent in most of the rainfed areas of the Maharashtra and Karnataka. Promising intercropping with other minor millets were like, Pearl millets+Greengram, Pearl millets+Groundnut, Finger millets+Pigenpea, FM+Blackgram, FM+Fieldbean, Barnyard millets+Ricebean, Foxtail millets+Pigenpea, Foxtail millets+Fieldbean, Kodo millets+Pigeonpea, oilseeds, Little millets+Pigenpea, Greengram, Soybean, and Proso millets+Greengram. Crop sequence with Pearl millets-Chickpea and Finger millets-Blackgram, Greengram is also recommended.
Traditional crop systems
Navdhanya (Andhra Pradesh): It was observed that traditional knowledge of poly-crop system like Navadhanya is wide spread among the famers of Ananthapuram district of AP. Traditional polycrop systems like Navadhanya keeps the soil covered for the most part of the year, till February-March and soil is exposed only during April-May, which is the period of land preparation.
Unlike Navadhanya, mono-crop system like mono-crop of peanuts leaves the soil exposed to the elements of nature for prolonged period – i.e. soil remains exposed from November – June, after harvest of groundnut around November. The prolonged exposure of soil not only leads to erosion of top by wind and water but also loss of soil moisture.
Poly-crop system like Navadhanya contributes to accumulation of huge volumes of biomass, through addition of crop residue to the soil. Traditional poly-crop system not only harvests rainfall very effectively but also sustains the crops during monsoon failures, therefore, highly Climate Resilient and minimizes the risk. Navadhanya crop system makes use of the rains from N-E monsoon and later on, the winter dew to sustain the crops; thus making the system most effective in exploiting the local rainfall pattern.
In addition to the ‘main crop’ , which is aimed at commercial markets, poly-crop system provides several varieties of pulses, oil seeds, vegetables and cereals/millets for domestic consumption. The system requires no external inputs and over time the quality of land improves substantially. The system is less labour intensive and a family can conveniently manage the farm of 2 acres. Navadhanya crop system involves one time sowing after land preparation, single weeding and regular harvests.
Design principles
Navadhanya crop system has specific design principles and crop geometry (including rows, intra rows, vertical canopy cover, and the time of crop maturity). Further, the sowing time for Navadhanya crop system is usually June – July. If the onset of monsoons fail, i.e. sowing gets extended to July then only plant 1st Akkidi (do away with 2nd Akkidi crops). The crop geometry, crop combinations of Navadhanya crop system is delineated below.
Akkadi Salu (Karnataka)
A traditional intercropping system helps Karnataka smallholder farmers improve their soils and secure their future. Practiced throughout the dryland regions of the state of Karnataka in south India, Akkadi Saalu is a traditional diverse crop system of farming. Referring to by various names across India, it is a type of rainfed agriculture.
The native varieties of seeds in Akkadi Saalu provide higher yields than their hybrid counterparts. Native seeds are well-suited to the soil, temperature, and climatic conditions. Unlike hybrid seeds, the yield from native seeds does not diminish over the years, alleviating concern for many farmers.
To this community, the seed is as important as the soil, so maintaining the soil’s fertility is imperative. This is often accomplished by consistently rotating the crops that are sown in the field. Farmers identify crop compatibility and sow those seeds together to coexist symbiotically. For example, climbers and creepers are grown with sturdy crops, like maize, which acts as a support system. This method builds and sustains biodiversity while also being an economically viable and sustainable practice. A variety of organisms are attracted to different crops throughout the field, striking a natural balance. This system also involves cultivating living hedges to prevent staple crops from being eaten by small animals. Thus, an entire ecosystem is woven throughout the one acre of land.
Because this farming method is highly dependent on monsoons, people here have effectively charted these natural cycles. This system does not put pressure on groundwater resources as does modern farming. During the “Mungaru season” or the pre-monsoonal season, four to five different varieties of crops are cultivated. In this manner, multiple crops are sown during different seasons. This allows farmers to harvest over an eight to nine-month period, ensuring financial security. Prabhakar does not only sell whole groundnuts, he also converts them into organic groundnut oil, adding value and income.
The discarded parts of early crops are used as manure for the main crops grown in subsequent seasons. Compost produced from jaggery and other plant and animal matter is used on the field. This enables microbes and other organisms to move deep within the ground, assisting with nitrogen fixation and improving soil fertility. The compost must be mixed into the soil almost immediately to prevent exposure to air and heat, which deplete its nutritional value. To hasten this process, fields are pre-plowed and otherwise prepared. Srinivas, a soil expert, describes how soils that incorporate higher amounts of plant and animal matter absorb moisture more effectively. This is in stark contrast to land characterized by excessive fertilizer and pesticide usage. The salinity (salt content) of pesticides and fertilizers reduces the moisture in the soil. This tends to harden the soil until traditional wooden tools are ineffective; this is the reason we see more mechanized steel plows today.
The role of women is vital to Akkadi Saalu. As an integral and symbolic part of the Akkadi Saalu system, it is the women’s role to preserve these native seeds. During droughts and famines, the seeds are not to be cooked or consumed – that would be a bad omen.
In this dynamic agricultural system, every element holds deep value, yet it is the seeds that farmers protect at all costs. It is through these indigenous seeds that Akkadi Saalu finds its reawakening.
Here's a poster of Navdhanya approach in Telugu by APMAS
Guli Ragi System of Andhra Pradhesh
The Guli method of ragi cultivation is a scientific way of growing it with wider spacing between rows of crops. It has helped revive the important crop among farmers.
In Andhra Pradesh, ragi is a major crop, along with paddy. But the traditional method of broadcasting or direct seed sowing produced low yields of three to four quintals of ragi per acre. However, after the Guli method of ragi cultivation was introduced from 2017 onwards, many farmers have recorded yields of up to 10-16 quintals per acre.
The Guli is a scientific way of growing ragi with wider spacing between rows of crops. It is helping revive millets in the tribal-dominated belts of the state like Araku where today the focus is on coffee and pepper vines for enhanced income.
Watch this Guli Ragi experiment
Tribal farmer Mahadev from Rangasila village of Hukumpeta Mandal of Vizag Dt have got 1.4ton/ per acre through practicing GULI RAGI farming system. In the Crop cutting experiment PD ATMA and ITDA Project Officer and District level agri officers, ADAs and AOs and about 200 farmers.
You can learn more about this methodology in Telugu
APPENDIX
Millets are one of the most farmer friendly of crops. In fact in many communities, millets are considered the lazy farmer’s crop! One really needs to do just two things: go to the field to broadcast seeds and then return after 3 months to harvest the grains. Millets require almost no inputs, grow even in extremely low fertility soils, don’t need deep ploughing, can be sown with minimal tools or machines, need only one weeding (if at all). With timely good rains at the right times, the farmer can expect to reap a good harvest. Using some improved techniques and practices, farmers can get a decent harvest even when the rains are not up to par.
Maximum millet cultivation happens in the kharif period, i.e. during the monsoon season. In areas that receive more than 800mm of rains, many of the millets can be cultivated in the second season, i.e. as a rabi crop (during the post monsoon, early winter months). And in some places with the right soil and geography, a few millets can even grow in the third season, during the dark days of winter, drawing on residual moisture in the soil and the dew that precipitates.
Millets are extremely resistant to pest attacks. This is a characteristic that comes in very handy when planning a mixed crop farm cultivated using non pesticide management techniques. A few rows of millets separating rows of more susceptible leguminous crops is a common practice in farms in different parts of the world.
Millets are in different branches of poaceae, the grasses family. And given their small grain size, when taking up cultivation, one needs to remember that they should not be sown more than two inches deep, and with some soils even shallower sowing would be good. Another aspect that improves the millet crop is sowing it with uniform and appropriate spacing in lines rather than broadcasting. This helps in the plants getting fairly uniform access to resources resulting in a more uniform harvest, increasing the value of such grains significantly for both the market as a well as domestic processing.
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