


































1  

 

 

Full Length Research Paper 

Small-millet seed production that involves 
tribal farmers in the Bastar region of 

Chhattisgarh, India 

Sanjay and Krishna 

Research MATS University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India 
 

 Accepted 20 December, 2024  

The Because little millets can withstand water stress, drought, and erosion, they may be a better choice in areas 
with unpredictable rainfall and dry conditions where rice and other crops frequently fail. There were several 
upland areas in this area that might be used for small-scale millets production if farmers participated in a seed 
production program to improve their economic situation. To increase production, settlements with basic 
technology support were divided into ten clusters. With the introduction of improved varieties, line sowing, weed 
control, and nutrient management as a rain-fed system, the average productivity of tiny millets increased from 
4.00 to 20 q/ha. 

Key words: Front line demonstration, Small millets, Seed production, Participatory mode. 

 
INTRODUCTION 

 

The With a total size of 8755.79 km2, Bastar District 
is located in southern Chhattisgarh. The district 
headquarters are located in Jagdalpur. More than 
65% of the district's 1,411,644 residents, or about the 
same as the US state of Hawaii or the country of 
Swaziland, are members of tribes including the Maria, 
Muriya, Bhatra, Halba, Gond, Parja, and Dhurva, 
according to the 2011 census. There are 140 people 
living in the district per square kilometer. In the Bastar 
region of Chhattisgarh, rice is primarily farmed as a 
rain-fed crop over 2.39 lakh hectares during the kharif 
season, although its production is a pitiful 8.53 q/ha. 
While just 1.2% of the land is irrigated, and only 
1.67% of the land is irrigated, very little fertilizer (4.6 
kg/ha) is used, which is not enough to provide enough 
nutrients to the crops that are in high demand. 
Traditional farming methods continue to determine 
Bastar's pattern of subsistence. While there are very 

few iron ploughs, the use of wooden ploughs is 
overwhelming. The same is true with cattle carts; tractors 
are quite rare, although bullock carts are widely used. 
The production of agriculture has decreased due to the 
use of traditional agricultural tools. Paddy, tiny millets, 
horse gram, urd, arhar, jowar, and maize are the kharif 
crops cultivated here. Only small millets can be grown in 
such circumstances because of their eating habits and 
farming methods, which state that rice cannot function 
well in unpredictable rainfall and occasionally fails entirely 
because of this factor. However, small millets may be a 
suitable solution because they require less rain than rice 
and are more drought-tolerant and erosion-resistant. 
There is a lot of highland land in this area that might be 
used for small millets' seed production during kharif. 

 This concept was kept in mind in inception of seed 
production programme 

 
 

 

 

 

 

African Journal of Agricultural Marketing ISSN: 2375-1061 Vol. 12 (1), pp. 001-010, December, 2024. 
Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals 

Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. 

 
 

http://www.internationalscholarsjournals.org/


2 

 

 
 
 

 

Figure 1. Weed management by intercultural operation 

in kodo millet. 
 

 

so that farmers can get handsome returns. 
METHODOLOGY 

 

According to the farmers who grew small millets, the targeted 
villages were divided into ten clusters, which included: cluster 1: 
Bastanar, cluster 2: Turenar, cluster 3: Tokapal, cluster 4: Kumari, 
cluster 5: Chitrakote, cluster 6: Dharmaur, cluster 7: Narayanpur, 
cluster 8: Bakawand, cluster 9: Dantewada, and cluster 10: Mendri. 
The technologies provided to each cluster included improved versus 
local land race varieties, crop establishment techniques (line sowing 
versus broadcasting), weed control (mechanical and herbicidal 
versus control), and nutrition (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash). 
Two groups were created following site and farmer selection 
because grain production included truth label seed or below grade 
on farmers’ fields for consumption and market sale, while seed 
production included foundation and certified seed production 
(Samui et al., 2000). The cost of cultivation, gross income, net 
income, benefit-cost ratio, and the area covered by upland clusters 
in the past and present were all examined based on farmers' 

investment. In order to formulate research and extension works, the 
following procedures were taken:  
 
Step I: Replace the current local landraces with improved cultivars 
while maintaining the other agronomic practices they had previously 
used, such as seed broadcasting, no weeding, and no nutrient 
management. Due to the apparent increase in yield and the 
potential to employ new agro-techniques for adoption and incentive, 
this replacement forced the farmers to embrace the new 
intervention.  
 
Step II: The demonstration of line sowing with a seed drill was 
another significant invention. The lack of appropriate tools for little 
millets caused issues with line sowing; traditional agricultural tools 
were primarily utilized. A bamboo-based Nari plow installed in a 
rural plough with a plastic funnel into which only seeds were thrown 
was the first solution to this problem. In the broadcasting approach, 
rainfed upland rice is often sown during a shorter window of time 
than small millets, and millets are the subsequent crops. Today's 
unpredictable rainfall forced them to switch to upland crops in such 
a harsh environment. In the following years, the development of the 
seed-cum-fertilizer drill (bullock drawn) and its demonstration on a 
farmer's field in front of fifty farmers sparked this, making it very 
easy for farmers to embrace line sowing methods in tiny millets over 
rice. This time, fertilizer was applied in rows and seeds were sown. 
However, it wasn't until the tractor-drawn drill was introduced in the 
following years that enormous areas were covered (Figure 8).  
 
Step III: The uplands were nearly completely covered by aerobic 
farming, which gave the weeds a variety of growing conditions. 

Since the weeds were competing with the crops for the first 15 to 30 
days, they would be appropriately handled using both mechanical and 
manual methods. However, manual weeding is more expensive  
 
Figure 2. Contingency crop planning by gap filling. 

 

 
 
 
because of the labor involved. Summer plowing decreased the weeds 
by up to 60%, and the residual weeds were controlled by using 0.5 
kg/ha of isoproturon and oxyflourfen as pre-emergence treatments. 
Lines were kept 30 cm apart, and a desi plough (also known as a 
bushening plough) was employed to control weeds. The ploughs are 
small enough to run between rows, and they also aerated root zones, 
loosened the soil profile, and suppressed weeds. Following the use of 
line sowing techniques, which proved successful in weed management, 
these methods were used to suppress weeds up to 70% while 
producing a greater yield (Figure 4).  
 
Step IV: Tribal communities rely on small millets as a source of income, 
but the introduction of commercial crops to the uplands reduced the 
area covered in this region. The region was still experiencing severe 
crop declines, but this was addressed in 2003 as part of the AICSMIP in 
an effort to increase coverage over the uplands. Farmers were initially 
given inputs in the form of seeds, fertilizer, and techniques, but they 
eventually adopted the practice and began using their own inputs; as a 
result, small-scale millets are now grown on the same plot of land where 
upland rice is no longer as productive.  
 
Step V: Farmers were encouraged to produce high-quality seed on their 
own properties by the adoption of new technology. Farmers are 
adopting and earning more money from the foundation and certified 
seed of ragi (finger millet), kodo millet, and small millet than from the 
manufacture of truth label (T/L) seeds. Following registration, they are 
guaranteed the opportunity to plant little millets by lifting seeds. 
Because it is a pocket-specific crop that can only be cultivated in a 
specific area of the country, the high-quality seed production also 
helped the Seed Certification Corporation. This time, fertilizer was 
applied in rows and seeds were sown. However, it wasn't until the 
tractor-drawn drill was introduced in the following years that enormous 
areas were covered (Figure 8).  
 

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

Entry of new cultivars 

New varieties (Table 1) have their own dimension but



3 

 

 
 

 
Table 1. Varieties performed under farmers’ field with improved technologies in last ten years. 

 

 
S/N 

 
Crop 

 
Varieties 

 
Liking feature 

Area 
coverage 
(acre) 

Yield 
potential 
(q/ha) 

Increased 
% over 
local 

  GPU 28 High yielding, rain fed cultivar, long open finger 600 20-30 200 

  VR 708, High yielding, suited for stress condition 300 20-25 175 

1 Finger millet Rantagiri High yielding, Short stature, medium finger 200 18-20 150 

  VL 149 High yielding, Pigmented finger 120 15-20 140 

  PR 202 High yielding, tolerant to blast 100 15-18 135 

2 Kodo millet 
RBK 155 Regular raceme, compact grains, more productive 400 18-25 150 

JK 48 More tillers, lodging tolerant, high yielding 250 15-20 140 

3 Little millet 
JK 8 High yielding, lax panicle 200 5-8 200 

BG 1 Medium height, synchronized maturity 120 4-6 180 

 

with the time and requirement changed the potentiality. 
By introducing new cultivars over current localities, 
agronomical demand for cultivars could be fine-tuned to 
result in higher production. Over the past ten years, 
demonstration fields have seen a 200% increase in 
output. Given the demand for 100 to 500 quintals of seed 
annually, producing high-quality seed (both foundation 
and certified) on farmers' fields may soon be a means of 
generating income. 

 
Refined technologies 

 
Because previous methods were not in line with the rate 
of production, traditional technologies must be improved 
to meet current demands (Mokidue et al., 2011). The 
conventional plough, which is still in use in isolated 
places, needs new bullock-drawn tools and the best 
possible mechanization. Therefore, it is imperative to 
improve the current methods. Crop establishment and 
seed broadcasting caused weeding issues, which may be 
resolved by line sowing, which offered effective 
mechanical weed control techniques (mechanical, 
herbicidal, and IWM) in between rows (Figure 4 and 9). 

 
Nutrient management 

 

When the program was being planned, fewer farmers 
were applying fertilizer to upland areas, which 
drastically reduced the potential yield because the 
soil's available nutrients were being depleted without 
adequate management of both major and secondary 
nutrients. Line sowing can be used in place of 
broadcasting, and the timing of sowing (moving the 
monsoon from mid-June to mid-July) is also controlled 
according to the early or late advent of the monsoon, 
which improves success over typical system failures 
(Hiremath and Nagaraju, 2010). By arranging 
fertilizers in rows, line sowing paved the path for 
nitrogen management and increased output during 
the crucial demand period shown in Tables 2 to 4 and 

Figures 5 and 6. 

 
Mechanization 

 
It was necessary to increase the area under cultivation for 
small millets, and this was accomplished by 
mechanization. In a similar vein, the implementation of 
better methods and the reduction of drudgery in sowing 
with the use of seed and fertilizer drills increased the 
potential yield while also reducing labor participation due 
to a labor shortage. Implements drawn by bullocks and 
tractors were introduced in response to farmer needs 
(Figure 10). In ten years, at least half of the adopted 
farmers, who now share the implements during the 
cropping season in the same cluster, undoubtedly 
developed the habit of using this arrangement in all 
clusters. According to Jeengar et al. (2006), using 
machinery to cut down on drudgery was profitable and 
time-efficient (Figures 1, 2, and 3). 

 
Seed bank 

 
Farmers produced demand for small millets through the 
barter system (an exchange mechanism) or by gifting 
them to relatives when they visited their homes. This was 
made possible by the ongoing replacement of indigenous 
land races with superior kinds, which encouraged the 
increased production of small millets. In the end, this can 
become famous in unexplored regions and frequently 
spread over the weekly or daily local markets (Hadri or 
Pasra) in neighboring villages. The village seed bank was 
created as a result of the introduction of new technology 
and the encouragement of farmers. They have since 
begun to store the seeds in more conventional or 
advanced structures that are accessible to them, such as 
paddy storage facilities. They had a well-established 
system throughout the villages, so it was simple to 
maintain. In case of crop failure, this 



 

 

 
Table 2. Impact of improved agro-techniques on yield potential of small finger millets (mean of ten years) 

 

Target Village Farmer 
Crop establishment Nutrition Varieties Weed management 

LS BC Increase % Bal fert(NPK) No Fert Increase % Imp Local Increase % Herb Local Increase % 

Cluster 1 7 15 20.23 5.23 386.81 17.78 6.05 294.12 22.58 7.13 316.69 20.44 7.18 284.68 

Cluster 2 6 13 21.35 6.35 336.22 18.90 5.34 353.93 23.70 8.25 287.27 21.56 8.30 259.76 

Cluster 3 8 21 18.25 3.25 561.54 15.80 4.56 346.49 20.60 5.15 400.00 18.46 5.20 355.00 

Cluster 4 5 15 24.35 9.35 260.43 21.90 8.76 250.00 26.70 11.25 237.33 24.56 11.30 217.35 

Cluster 5 6 14 26.67 9.67 275.80 24.22 9.80 247.14 29.02 13.57 213.85 26.88 13.62 197.36 

Cluster 6 4 12 24.37 9.37 260.09 21.92 7.86 278.88 26.72 11.27 237.09 24.58 11.32 217.14 

Cluster 7 3 17 17.89 2.89 619.03 15.44 6.09 253.53 20.24 4.79 422.55 18.10 4.84 373.97 

Cluster 8 5 18 23.45 8.45 277.51 21.00 9.48 221.52 25.80 10.35 249.28 23.66 10.40 227.50 

Cluster 9 5 15 23.34 8.34 279.86 20.89 10.35 201.84 25.69 10.24 250.88 23.55 10.29 228.86 

Cluster 10 5 16 16.75 1.75 957.14 14.30 4.78 299.16 19.10 3.65 523.29 16.96 3.70 458.38 

Mean 5.40 15.60 21.67 6.47 421.44 19.22 7.31 274.66 24.02 8.57 313.82 21.88 8.62 282.00 

*LS, line sowing; BC, benefit:cost ratio; Bal Fer, balance fertilizers; NPK, nitrogen, phosphorus and potash and herb- herbicides. 
 
 
 

Table 3. Impact of improved agro-techniques on yield potential of small kodo millets (mean of ten years). 

 

Target Village Farmer 
Crop establishment Nutrition Varieties Weed management 

LS BC Increase % Bal fert (NPK) No Fert Increase % Imp Local Increase % Herb Local Increase % 

Cluster 1 9.00 16.00 15.48 6.94 223.05 15.02 5.03 298.61 16.91 5.86 288.57 15.87 5.09 311.79 

Cluster 2 8.00 13.00 16.60 8.06 205.96 16.14 4.32 373.61 18.03 6.98 258.31 16.99 6.21 273.59 

Cluster 3 10.00 22.00 13.50 4.96 272.18 13.04 3.54 368.36 14.93 3.88 384.79 13.89 3.11 446.62 

Cluster 4 7.00 15.00 19.60 11.06 177.22 19.14 7.74 247.29 21.03 9.98 210.72 19.99 9.21 217.05 

Cluster 5 8.00 17.00 21.92 13.38 163.83 21.46 8.78 244.42 23.35 12.30 189.84 22.31 11.53 193.50 

Cluster 6 6.00 13.00 19.62 11.08 177.08 19.16 6.84 280.12 21.05 10.00 210.50 20.01 9.23 216.79 

Cluster 7 5.00 17.00 13.14 4.60 285.65 12.68 5.07 250.10 14.57 3.52 413.92 13.53 2.75 492.00 

Cluster 8 6.00 19.00 18.70 10.16 184.06 18.24 8.46 215.60 20.13 9.08 221.70 19.09 8.31 229.72 

Cluster 9 7.00 21.00 18.59 10.05 184.98 18.13 9.33 194.32 20.02 8.97 223.19 18.98 8.20 231.46 

Cluster 10 8.00 17.00 12.00 3.46 346.82 11.54 3.76 306.91 13.43 2.38 564.29 12.39 1.61 769.57 

Mean 7.40 17.00 16.92 8.38 222.08 16.46 6.29 277.93 18.35 7.30 296.58 17.31 6.53 338.21 

*LS, line sowing; BC, benefit:cost ratio; Bal Fer, balance fertilizers; NPK, nitrogen, phosphorus and potash and herb- herbicides. 

 
 

system would help to revive this in coming year as 
managed in this way. Areas expansion became 

easier when it was linked with seed production 
programme on farmers’ field under rain fed 

condition for sustainability of small millets; 
whereas almost other cereals failed quite often 



 

 
 

 
Table 4. Impact of improved agro-techniques on yield potential of small little millets (mean of ten years). 

 

Target Village Farmer 
Crop establishment Nutrition Varieties Weed management 

LS BC Increase % Bal fert (NPK) No Fert Increase % Imp Local Increase % Herb Local Increase % 

Cluster 1 6 13 12.48 3.94 316.75 12.02 3.25 369.85 13.91 1.29 1078.29 12.87 2.09 615.79 

Cluster 2 5 10 13.60 5.06 268.77 13.14 2.54 517.32 15.03 2.41 623.65 13.99 3.21 435.83 

Cluster 3 7 19 10.50 1.96 535.71 10.04 1.76 570.45 11.93 2.18 547.25 10.89 1.89 576.19 

Cluster 4 4 12 16.60 8.06 205.96 16.14 3.96 407.58 18.03 5.41 333.27 16.99 3.29 516.41 

Cluster 5 5 14 18.92 10.38 182.27 18.46 4.09 451.34 20.35 7.73 263.26 19.31 2.90 665.86 

Cluster 6 3 10 16.62 8.08 205.69 16.16 3.06 528.10 18.05 5.43 332.41 17.01 1.97 863.45 

Cluster 7 2 14 10.14 1.60 633.75 9.68 1.29 750.39 11.57 2.09 553.59 10.53 1.78 591.57 

Cluster 8 3 16 15.70 7.16 219.27 15.24 4.68 325.64 17.13 4.51 379.82 16.09 3.20 502.81 

Cluster 9 4 18 15.59 7.05 221.13 15.13 3.67 412.26 17.02 4.40 386.82 15.98 3.87 412.92 

Cluster 10 5 14 9.00 0.46 1956.52 8.54 3.45 247.54 10.43 2.08 501.44 9.39 2.16 434.72 

Mean 4.40 14.00 13.92 5.38 474.58 13.46 3.18 458.05 15.35 3.75 499.98 14.31 2.64 561.56 

*LS, line sowing; BC, benefit:cost ratio; Bal Fer, balance fertilizers; NPK, nitrogen, phosphorus and potash and herb- herbicides. 

 

 

due to vagaries of monsoon during crop period. It 
was a well-known fact that producers and 
consumers were similar in the past, leading 
people to grow in backyards or small spaces for 
personal consumption. However, with the 
guarantee of seed lifting, it transformed into a 
commercial enterprise. According to Yadav et al. 
(2007) in their demonstration of pulses, the 
construction of a seed bank in the village is a 
crucial issue for preparing the production chain. 

 
Productivity enhancement 

 

In comparison to local approaches used in 
surrounding fields, the technology adopted a 
higher yield level. Productivity increased as a 
result of the best management strategies' 
exceptional performance. Line planting, high-
quality seed production, and balanced fertilizer 
were shown to be the most effective management 
strategies for increasing productivity (20–25 q/ha 
for ragi, 15-20 q/ha for kodo millet, and 5-7 q/ha 

for tiny millet). However, compared to grain 
production, local agronomic methods may yield 
just 2 to 5 q/ha. Converting as many areas as 
possible into productive ones by cultivating millets 
was a viable way to achieve environmentally 
acceptable management in the deteriorating 
agricultural environment (Figure 7). Singh et al.'s 
pulse demonstration produced a similar outcome 
(2005a). 

 
Income enhancement 

 

Although quality seeds like Foundation and 
certified seeds were sold on farmers' fields for 
Rs 30 to 40 per kg of produce through a 
buyback system under registration by the seed 
corporation, which led to farmers earning more 
money, income was undoubtedly increased 
when production of small millets increased and 
market demands peaked. Previously, there was 
no value of lands because of the barren lands, 
but Tables 5 to 7 demonstrate how quality seed 

production transformed those lands into 
productive lands. Similar results were also 
observed by Mukherjee (2003) and Reddy (2010) 
in the case of revenue enhancement through field 
demonstrations using technologies that initially 
supported farmers.  

 
Value addition 

 
Effective communication with both farm and non-
farm individuals helped tiny millets gain popularity 
quickly. Grain must be processed after it is 
produced in order to be transformed into 
consumable forms, such as basic cooking and 
ready to eat. It contains items that can be made at 
home, such as ragi malt for tribal women and 
finger millet multigrain flour, while other forms that 
need slight primary 



6 

 

 
 
 

Figure 3. Side drain line under water logging condition. Figure 6. Bullock drawn seed cum fertilizer sown little millet 

 
 
 

 

Figure 4. Beushening for weed suppression in finger millet. 

 
 
 

Figure 5. Pouring of seed and fertilizer in seed drill. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
Figure 7. Root growth under good tilth. 

 
 

 

processing like frying roasting etc was kept away in value 
addition of small millets, for which trainings and 
machinery support had been given them by linking other 
projects had the provision. According to Singh et al. 
(2005b), secondary agriculture's engagement increased 
demonstration adoption. In the end, they partnered with 
Sanjeevani, the Department of Forests in Chhattisgarh, 
and created the avenue for its sale via self-help group 
stores. The processing centre of the selected villages 
was equipped with grinding machine, 



 

 
 

 
Table 5. Impact of technologies in income generation through seed and grain production of finger small millets in clusters. 

 

 
Target 

Seed production Grain production Areas coverage (%) 

Cost of 
cultivation 

Gross income 
Net 

income 
B:C 
ratio 

Cost of 
cultivation 

Gross 
income 

Net income B:C ratio 
Income over 

grain production 
Available 
upland 

Previous at present 

Cluster 1 21336 57372.28 36036.28 1.69 12071 30345 18274 1.51 111.57 53 12 44.0 

Cluster 2 22680 60548.60 37868.60 1.67 13415 32025 18610 1.39 120.36 45 13 45.0 

Cluster 3 18960 51757.00 32797.00 1.73 9795 27375 17580 1.79 96.38 32 15 47.0 

Cluster 4 26280 69056.60 42776.60 1.63 16915 36525 19610 1.16 140.40 54 16 48.0 

Cluster 5 29064 75636.12 46572.12 1.60 20799 48006 27207 1.31 122.50 43 23 55.0 

Cluster 6 26304 69113.32 42809.32 1.63 16939 36555 19616 1.16 140.54 37 18 50.0 

Cluster 7 18528 50736.04 32208.04 1.74 10263 26835 16572 1.61 107.66 65 21 53.0 

Cluster 8 25200 66504.20 41304.20 1.64 17935 42210 24275 1.35 121.10 54 19 51.0 

Cluster 9 25068 66192.24 41124.24 1.64 18803 39678 20875 1.11 147.77 36 16 48.0 

Cluster 10 17160 47503.00 30343.00 1.77 8095 25125 17030 2.10 84.05 45 20 52.0 

Mean 23058.00 61441.94 38383.94 1.67 14503.00 34467.90 19964.90 1.45 119.23 46.40 17.30 49.30 

*LS, line sowing; BC, benefit:cost ratio; Bal Fer, balance fertilizers; NPK, nitrogen, phosphorus and potash and herb- herbicides. 
 
 
 

 
Table 6. Impact of technologies in income generation through seed and grain production of kodo small millets in clusters. 

 

 
Target 

Seed production Grain production Areas coverage (%) 

Cost of 
cultivation 

Gross 
income 

Net 
income 

B:C 
ratio 

Cost of 
cultivation 

Gross 
income 

Net 
income 

B:C 
ratio 

income over 
grain production 

Available 
upland 

Previous at present 

Cluster 1 14246 46868 32622.08 2.29 8679 26670.0 17991.0 2.07 181.32 61 10 42 

Cluster 2 20590 49820 29230.40 1.42 13023 28350.0 15327.0 1.18 190.71 53 11 43 

Cluster 3 16870 41649 24778.80 1.47 11303 23700.0 12397.0 1.10 199.88 40 13 45 

Cluster 4 24190 57728 33538.40 1.39 15623 32850.0 17227.0 1.10 194.69 62 14 46 

Cluster 5 26974 63844 36869.92 1.37 17407 36330.0 18923.0 1.09 194.84 51 21 53 

Cluster 6 24214 57781 33567.12 1.39 18647 32880.0 14233.0 0.76 235.84 45 16 48 

Cluster 7 16438 40700 24261.84 1.48 10871 23160.0 12289.0 1.13 197.43 73 19 51 

Cluster 8 23110 55356 32246.00 1.40 17543 31500.0 13957.0 0.80 231.04 62 17 49 

Cluster 9 22978 55066 32088.04 1.40 17411 31335.0 13924.0 0.80 230.45 44 14 46 

Cluster 10 15070 37695 22624.80 1.50 9503 21450.0 11947.0 1.26 189.38 53 18 50 

Mean 20468 50650.74 30182.74 1.51 14001.00 28822.50 14821.50 1.13 204.56 54.18 15.72 47.16 

*LS, line sowing; BC, benefit: cost ratio; Bal Fer, balance fertilizers; NPK, nitrogen, phosphorus and potash and herb- herbicides. 



 

 

 
Table 7. Impact of technologies in income generation through seed and grain production of little small millets in clusters. 

 

 
Target 

Seed production Grain production Areas coverage (%) 

Cost of 
cultivation 

Gross 
income 

Net 
income 

B:C 
ratio 

Cost of 
cultivation 

Gross income Net income B:C ratio 
income over 

grain production 
Available 
upland 

Previous 
At 

present 

Cluster 1 7423.00 23652.24 16229.24 2.19 6278.00 16369.56 10091.56 1.61 136.01 46 8 29 

Cluster 2 9786.00 22120.80 12334.80 1.26 7641.00 14946.12 7305.12 0.96 131.84 38 9 30 

Cluster 3 7047.00 23964.20 16917.20 2.40 4902.00 16659.52 11757.52 2.40 100.09 25 11 32 

Cluster 4 11230.00 26176.28 14946.28 1.33 9085.00 18715.60 9630.60 1.06 125.55 47 12 33 

Cluster 5 10223.00 29267.52 19044.52 1.86 8078.00 21588.84 13510.84 1.67 111.38 36 19 40 

Cluster 6 9354.00 26488.24 17134.24 1.83 7209.00 19005.56 11796.56 1.64 111.94 30 14 35 

Cluster 7 10234.00 21468.52 11234.52 1.10 8089.00 14339.84 6250.84 0.77 142.06 58 17 38 

Cluster 8 9876.00 24531.40 14655.40 1.48 7731.00 17186.72 9455.72 1.22 121.33 47 15 36 

Cluster 9 9805.00 23680.60 13875.60 1.42 7660.00 16395.92 8735.92 1.14 124.09 29 12 33 

Cluster 10 8247.00 22064.08 13817.08 1.68 6102.00 14893.40 8791.40 1.44 116.29 38 16 37 

Mean 9322.50 24341.39 15018.89 1.65 7277.50 17010.11 9732.61 1.39 122.06 39.18 13.72 34.16 

 

 

packing machine and stencils used in processing 
of small millets. Three processing units are 

currently operational in Bastanar, Turenar, and 
Narayanpur. Due to their reliance on agriculture 

and the current farming system, tribal farmers are 
off-stream individuals who live outside of cities. 
This farming community has been targeted for 

agricultural improvement and extension during the 
past ten years, undergoing field visits, trainings, 

demonstrations, and other activities in order to 
improve the current system with positive outputs 

through farming in a sustainable way.. 

 
Research output enhanced yield 

 
1. An important agronomic technique aimed at 
improving soil health and productivity sustainability is 
intercropping ragi and kodo millets. 4:1 and 4:2 (Ragi: 
Pigeon Pea) responded well in terms of generating 
revenue and bolstering the demand for pulses in 
addition to being profitable. According to Poonia and 
Pithia (2011), horse gram is an existing crop in the 
area that is chosen for intercropping.  

2. The technique became lucrative when little millet 
and niger were planted consecutively because tiny 
millet is harvested in mid-kharif, or about August 20, 
and the soil moisture that remains can supply enough 
moisture to niger plants when they are rain-fed. In a 
zero-tillage technique, the niger crop is planted 
between harvested rows. Profitability would be 
increased if the price of niger was 25 to 30 rupees per 
kilogram.  
3. The Poaceae family, which includes little millets, is 
renowned for conserving soil. Because there are 
fewer obstacles to flow during the wet season, upland 
conditions encourage top soil erosion and runoff. 
Farmers learned to cultivate little millets, which are 
always cultivated on well-draining, sloppy upland soil. 
Crops must be planted in rows across the hill in order 
to fix the issue, which will take hours.  
4. Scooping is a technique that entails digging tiny 
ditches with a shovel every foot along the line 
between crop rows. In order to prevent short-term 
stress, the ditch assisted in water infiltration and 
extended the crops' duration of moisture availability 
by up to ten days.  
4. The country plough's ability to run between rows 

would loosen the soil and suppress weeds at the same 
time, giving plants strength and yield-attributing qualities.  
5. Nitrogen administered as a top dressing 20 and 40 days 
after sowing helped to increase yield, while the initial 
application of phosphate and potash as basal improved 
usage efficiency.  
6. Compared to a blanket application of FYM, a hill 
placement of FYM and one nitrogen top dressing at 40 days 
allowed for adequate development and yield of tiny millets 
under rain-fed conditions.  

 
Conflict of Interests 

 
The authors have not declared any conflict of 
interests. 



9 

 

 

 
Figure 8. Bullock drawn seed cum fertilizer drill. 

 
 

 

 
Figure 9. Transplanting of finger millet behind desi plough. 



10  

 
 

 

Figure 10. Harvesting of finger millet by reaper at 

farmer’ field. 

 

 

REFERENCES 

 
Singh A, Singh L, Prasad R (2005a). Pulse production under technology 

assessment, refinement and dissemination through KVKs in U.P. Paper 
presented in 3rd National Extension Education Congress 2005 held at 
N.D.R.I. Karnal from April 27-29. 

Singh L, Singh A, Prasad R (2005b). Response of demonstrations on pulses 
yield at KVKs in Uttar Pradesh. Paper presented in 3rd National Extension 
Education Congress 2005 held at N.D.R.I. Karnal from April 27-29. 

Yadav VPS, Kumar R, Dashwal AK, Raman RS, Sharma BK, Bhela SL. 
(2007). Boosting pulse production through frontline demonstration. Indian 
Res. J. Ext. Educ. 7(2&3):12-14. 

Hiremath SM, Nagaraju MV (2010). Evaluation of on – farm front line 
demonstrations on the yield of chilli. Karnataka J. Agric. Sci. 23(2):341-
342. 

Jeengar KL, Panwar P, Pareek OP (2006). Front line demonstration on maize 
in bhilwara District of Rajsthan. Curr. Agric. 30(1/2):115-116. 

Mokidue I, Mohanty AK, Sanjay K (2011). Corelating growth, yield and 
adoption of bean technologies. Indian J. Ex. Educ. 11(2):20-24. 

Mukherjee N (2003). Participatory, learning and action. Concept, 
Publishing Company, New Delhi. pp. 63-65. 

Poonia TC, Pithia MS (2011). Impact of front line demonstrations of 
chickpea in Gujarat. Legume Res. 34(4):304-307. 
Reddy AA (2010). Regional Disparities in Food Habits and Nutritional 
intake in Andhra Pradesh, India, Regional Sectoral Economic Stud. pp. 

10-12. 
 
  

 
  

 

 

 

 

 

Samui SK, Maitra S, Roy DK, Mondal AK, Saha D (2000). Evaluation on 
front line demonstration on groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.). J. Indian Soc. 

Coast. Agric. Res. 18:180-183. 


	The Because little millets can withstand water stress, drought, and erosion, they may be a better choice in areas with unpredictable rainfall and dry conditions where rice and other crops frequently fail. There were several upland areas in this area t...
	INTRODUCTION
	RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
	Refined technologies
	Nutrient management
	Mechanization
	Seed bank
	Productivity enhancement
	Income enhancement
	Value addition
	Research output enhanced yield
	Conflict of Interests

