Agroeconomia Croatica, Vol. 13 No. 2, 2023.
Original scientific paper
Foxtail Millet, The Crop of the Future, and the Possibilities of Including It in the ICDS: A Microlevel Study in Tripura
Anita Banerjee
orcid.org/0000-0002-2345-078X
; Department. of Mgt. & Social Sciences, Amity University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Kripa Mondal
; TRESP (World Bank Project), Agartala, Tripura, India
Abstract
The recent surge in awareness, demand, and recognition of millets can be attributed to the United Nations declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets, largely due to India’s advocacy. Millets are being hailed as “future crops” owing to their resilience to the adverse effects of climate change, making them adaptable to various challenging climate conditions. The significance of millets has been underscored by the Indian government, which officially rebranded them as “nutri-cereals” in lieu of coarse cereals starting in 2018. Furthermore, numerous studies have emphasized the nutritional value of millets (Taylor R.N, 2017, RR Chapke, 2017), showcasing their potential to address nutritional deficiencies. This study aims to shed light on the significance of a specific millet variety, Foxtail millet, with recommendations to incorporate it into the staple grains distributed through the “Supplementary Nutrition Program (SNP)” under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme. Through a micro-level study involving a sample of 50 farmers, this research not only highlights the nutritional benefits but also reveals that the cost-benefit ratio of cultivating this nutritious crop surpasses that of other staple grains like rice and wheat. Additionally, secondary data from various sources supplements the findings of this study, underlining the promising potential of Foxtail millet in addressing nutrition and food security challenges.
Keywords
jhum cultivation, Supplementary Nutrition Program, monocrop, dryland cultivation
Hrčak ID:
319277
URI
Publication date:
20.12.2023.
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