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.