NATUN KHETI, 17 Jun: ‘Mission Arunachal Foxtail Millets’, a joint initiative of the Tirap district administration and the Farm Native Group to boost millet production and provide wide marketing linkages, was launched here on Saturday by Deomali ADC Vishakha Yadav.
The initiative aims at forming collective clusters of farmers, boosting millet production, and imparting training on the best farming practices in the coming months. Millet growers will also be provided with high quality organic seeds, small-scale farm machineries, and marketing-packaging linkages.
As part of the initiative, a ‘direct interaction-cum-training awareness’ workshop with millet growers was conducted on 15 June in Turet village, while another such workshop was conducted on 16 June in Natun Kheti, covering Soha and Deomali circle, respectively.
A number of millet growers from New Subang, Lamlo, Natun Kheti, Wasathong, Doidam, Turet and Soha villages attended the workshops.
Resource person from the Farm Native Group highlighted the importance of millets and plan of action through video screening and pamphlets distribution.
The ADC said that “the goal is to make the millet farmers self-reliant, boost their livelihoods and percolate the importance of millets in this International Year of Millets.”
“In the coming months, efforts towards getting organic certification for millets will also be made,” she added.
Deomali ZPM Wangphoon Lowang urged the farmers to grow more millet in the coming years.
During the workshop, the Farm Native Group and the millet growers of Turet, Natun Kheti and Lamlo villages reached an agreement to buy and sell the millet harvest of the current season.
The ADC requested the DAO and its staff to “assess the quantum of production wherein the Farm Native Group shall provide for packaging, marketing and transportation for the best price realisation for millet growers.” (DIPRO)
