Millet cultivation revived in East Godavari

Kakinada: ATMA (Agriculture Technology Management Agency) the nodal agency of union agriculture ministry initiated measures to revive the cultivation of millets on a massive scale in East Godavari Agency. This measure is said to have been initiated in view of a few reports in malnutrition cases among tribals in some mandals in the Agency. Apart from consumption needs, the authorities will also provide marketing facilities to the produced millets in these areas and elsewhere. As part of this, four mandals were selected for the first phase of the programme in 3,000 acres.

The selected mandals are Dedvipatnam, Maredumilli, Rampa Chodavaram and Y Ramavaram in the 11-mandal Agency area. The selected millets for cultivation are finger millet, grain millet, jowar, ragi and other varieties in 2016-17. Total around 1,000 farmers from 100 villages from all the four manuals were selected for this revived activity in the first phase of the programme.

For the second year in 2017-18 the target will be doubled in the existing mandals. The programme will be implemented in all remaining mandals in the second and subsequent phases.According to East Godavari ATMA project director, P Padmaja in addition to department mental staff said that NGOs' were entrusted with the task of effective implementation of the programme. This revival was found necessitated in view of reports showing the sharp rise in malnutrition cases in the tribal areas. As millets are nutritious, the authorities decided to extend top priority to millet cultivation, she said.