KOCHI: About fifteen years ago, the Kondayyan of Churakulam Kudi (cluster) in Kanthalloor was forced to give up millet cultivation due to several reasons. He has, however, returned to traditional millet farming during the past year and now grows ragi, finger millet, small millet, and other millet varieties.
“We used to farm millets earlier. However, it was stopped due to lack of rainfall, low profit and man-animal conflict. Even though ragi was grown on a small scale, it was grown solely for our own use and never sold,” says Kondayyan. The state government was also promoting vegetable cultivation, which encouraged the farmers to stop millet cultivation.
The millet cultivation in the area witnessed a revival after Lenovo Technologies decided to utilise its CSR fund to promote it in the Kanthalloor area as part of the International Year for Millets. With the cooperation of the IHRD college and Dream India, an NGO based in Bengaluru, 25 farmers were encouraged and trained in millet cultivation.
Dr Sindu S, the former principal of IHRD college, says the intention was to help the farmers and to inspire an interest among youngsters. “They approached us as they saw the news of millet cultivation in our college, which started around two years ago. I always wanted to revive millets here as the younger generations were keeping themselves away from farming,” she says. The farmers were also provided with quality seeds for millet cultivation.
To simplify the process, Lenovo set up a technology centre where the farmers can be trained and provided with smartphones with Agritech and Samudra apps that can monitor the progress. “Marketing the product was an issue for the farmers. Computer science students can provide digital support in marketing the products. At the technology centre, 25 farmers were trained to use devices. Now they can give updates, get cultivation guidance and find the market,” she adds.
The farmers were selected from Palapetty, Ollavayal, Perumala, Theerthamalai, and Churakulam clusters. Also, 60 per cent of the farmers are women. “We cultivated eight varieties of millets in the last year. The harvesting for several corps has been completed. Ragi will take some more time. A processing unit has also become functional.
Kudumbashree members will be working with the unit to process and pack the products under the brand — Kanthalloor millets,” says R Radhakrishnan, the coordinator of farmers. A self-help group of seven women is trained to work in the unit. “We have decided to give subsidies to the farmers through the panchayat’s millet programme,” says P K Mohandas, the president of Kanthalloor panchayat.