Empowerment of women farmers through value addition on minor millets genetic resources: a case study in Karnataka

Vijayalakshmi, D. and Geetha, K. and Gowda, Jayarame and Ravi, S. Bala and Padulosi, S. and Mal, Bhag (2010) Empowerment of women farmers through value addition on minor millets genetic resources: a case study in Karnataka. Indian Journal of Plant Genetic Resources, 23 (1). pp. 132-135.

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Abstract

Finger millet is an important dryland crop valued for food grain and straw. One of the striking features of finger millet is its resilience and ability to adjust to marginal agro-climatic conditions in terms of soil fertility, rainfall and other weather parameters. The grain is nutritious with balanced protein, higher calcium and iron and dietary fibre. This offers ample opportunities for developing and promoting nutritious utility products from finger millet. In view of this, a study was undertaken to enhance the income of finger millet growing farmers by increasing productivity and strengthening the capacity of farming community for value addition and marketing of value added products. The process involved selection of two improved varieties by farmer participatory approach, organizing several field enhancement trials in farmers’ fields for three years, empowering farmers in quality seed production and supply conservation using village seed bank approach and leveraging Self Help Groups (SHGs) of farm women for value addition of grain and its marketing. The crop management, also involving the developmental departments, resulted in 30–35 per cent increase in yield. On-farm intercrop trials of finger millet with field bean or pigeonpea during three years indicated higher monetary returns in comparison with the farmers’ practice.

Item Type: Article
Author Affiliation: University Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka
Subjects: Crop Improvement > Genetics/Genomics
Divisions: Millet
Depositing User: Sandhya Gir
Date Deposited: 15 Mar 2011 21:12
Last Modified: 15 Mar 2011 21:12
URI: http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/1632

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