Call for more farmers to join millet cultivation

Director of Deccan Development Society urges farmers to promote nutrient-rich millets and encourages others to join.

More farmers need to be aware of the cultivation of the nutrient-rich millets, said director of Deccan Development Society (DDS) V. Rukmini Rao on Monday. She urged the farmers already engaged in millet and traditional crop cultivation to persist in their endeavours to promote millets and encourage others to join them.

She was speaking at the 24th annual Patha Pantala Jathara (Mobile Biodiversity Festival - MBF), which began on January 14 and concluded at Machnoor village in Jharasangam mandal of Medak district on Monday.

In her address, Ms. Rukmini commended DDS founder P.V. Satish for his pioneering initiative, which significantly increased awareness about millet cultivation and spurred governmental efforts to promote the crops, which is now cultivated even in remote villages in the country.

Executive director of Vikasa, Vishakapatnam, S. Kiran lauded the efforts of DDS farmer-members in advancing millet cultivation, labelling them as role models for others interested in the topic. Executive director of the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture G.V. Ramanjaneyulu also commended the farmers for their dedication to preserving traditional crops.

As part of the event, women millet farmers were honoured. Vinod Pavarala from the University of Hyderabad and NABARD officials also spoke at the valedictory ceremony. Elaborately adorned bullock carts, which were paraded at the event, stole the show.