CASE STUDY OF KOLLI HILLS: Millets- UPSC Daily Important Topic | 19 February 2023

CASE STUDY OF KOLLI HILLS: Millets

The Kolli hills block in the Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu is a unique geographic and agroecological region in the Eastern Ghats. It is majorly populated by Scheduled Tribes. A project was undertaken in this region with three main objectives:

• Preserve crop diversity in local millet varieties

• Increase millet production and consumption

• Improve farm incomes

There has been a rapid decline in minor millet cultivation in the region, and land use shifted toward more profitable crops like cassava (tapioca), pineapple, coffee, and pepper.

A small share of grain was converted into a value-added product and a small quantity was marketed.

✅The three focus areas of the project were:

1 Improvement of yield was attempted through improved seeds, community seed banks, new agronomic practices, and new technology.

2 Customized post-harvest machinery like small-scale localized mechanical milling was introduced.

It was operated by self-help groups.

3 Appropriate training was provided for value addition along with branding and marketing link establishment.

Consequences:

• Net returns from value-added products were 5 to 10 times higher than that of grains.

• The area under cultivation of minor millets and finger millet increased gradually after 2014-15.

• Yields also increased.

• The millet consumption improved in the region.

• The number of private mills has risen.