The two-day millet mela got under way in the city on Friday with the objective of popularising the grain’s nutritious benefits and capacity to withstand severe drought during cultivation.
The mela comes in the backdrop of an acute water stress owing to the failure of the monsoon and poor storage levels in reservoirs. As a result of this, the government has decided not to release water to crops beyond August 31.
The mela is being organised by Sahaja Samrudha, an organisation engaged in popularising dryland and organic farming, in association with Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene.
In all, 60 cultivators of various types of millets from 14 districts of the State are participating in the mela. They will also distribute seeds to farmers interested in taking up cultivation.
The highlight of the mela is the focus on Brown Top Millet which can be cultivated under extreme drought and dry conditions and is very nutritious with high fibre content.
Processing mills
Krishnaprasad of Sahaja Samrudha told The Hindu that efforts were being made to influence policy makers through local elected representatives to establish millet processing mills. It does not cost more than a few lakhs of rupees and yet there is not a single such unit in south Karnataka.
“If the government can establish a few units and help create linkages to the farmers by marketing the processed crop, it would be of great help to the cultivators who can be bailed out of agricultural distress caused by water scarcity,” said Mr. Krishnaprasad.
The mela is of special significance to farmers in the KRS and Kabini command areas who have been badly affected by the government’s decision not to release water.
Though alternative crops that can be cultivated under dry conditions are being considered by the authorities, there is a perceived scarcity of seeds which can only be met by outsourcing it from millet cultivators group, according to Mr. Krishnaprasad.
Millet cultivators, sharing their experience of cultivating millets and throwing light on the cultivation cost incurred by them, crop yield and profits accrued despite drought conditions, is a significant aspect of the mela being held at the Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry.
Lip-smacking culinary delights made from a number of millet varieties cultivated by organic farming formed another highlight. The women’s group from Sorabha took care of the food items.
