PASIGHAT, 25 Feb: The North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi), in its study report on millet production in Arunachal Pradesh, addressed market opportunities for millet-based products, identify locations for MSME incubation, analyse relevant schemes to attract private investment, and prepared bankable DPRs with detailed risk assessment and mitigation strategies across production, processing, branding and marketing.
Final draft of the NEDFi study on, ‘In-depth analysis of millet for its potentialities for production, processing, value addition & market opportunities for sustainable economic growth in the state of Arunachal Pradesh,” was placed before a stakeholders meeting at the East Siang Krishi Vigyan Kendra here on Wednesday, to review its findings and recommendations. The study was initiated under NEDFi’s Techno Economic Development Fund (TEDF).
The study has explored state’s millet ecosystem through primary surveys and developed a benchmarking matrix comparing district wise production, potential, technical constraints, value chain gaps, processing capacity, and farmer economics.
The study also highlighted the tribal food eco-systems of state, organic cultivation practices across diverse agro-ecological zones.
The presentation also provided insights on different constraints related to low productivity, weak seed systems, labour-intensive practices, inadequate post-harvest infrastructure, sparse processing units, and limited technology adoption.
The critical role to be played by women in Arunachal Pradesh in cultivation, processing, local marketing was also emphasized to promote marketable surplus and value addition.
During the meeting, the progressive farmers emphasized the need for having the facility of Millet milling especially in the millet grown areas in the state.
The stakeholders and members present in the meeting also observed that awareness programme on the health benefit of millet need to be widely emphasized through KVKs.
The study reveals that a food-security-first strategy based upon productivity enhancement, localized processing, women-led enterprises, and FPO/SHG-led institutional delivery is essential for sustainable millet value chain development in the state.
TEDF internal committee expert prof. Otem Padung presided over the meeting. Senior officials of line departments, farmers, NEDFi officials, technical experts from Assam Agricultural University, Assam and College of Agriculture, Pasighat, among others, attended.
