Manipur: Ukhrul Farmers Start Second Harvest Phase, Anticipate Surplus Yields

UKHRUL: Hopes for a bumper surplus crop were high when farmers in Manipur's northern Ukhrul district started the second round of millet harvesting with huge expectations. The initial May harvest was more than promising in most cases, although its overall quality was just slightly better than average and nowhere near last year.

The director of Environment and Climate Change in Manipur initiated several initiatives targeted towards supporting millet cultivation. He has stated that efforts need to be made toward farming livelihood protection in such environments where the soil will be losing fertility and scarce water will affect crops, including millets, thereby protecting their livelihood.

Inspired by climate change cell efforts, back to millet is the return of farmers in Manipur. For decades, millets were widely cultivated, but it has been neglected due to a lack of awareness and fear of the destruction of large forest areas associated with its cultivation. In the face of food shortages in multiple districts, it is indeed an urgent necessity to add climate-resilient varieties like millet.

Thingreiphy Lungharwoshi, president of Tangkhul Shanao Long (TSL), feels that millet farming should be encouraged because it is good to consume. TSL has been distributing millet seeds to the farmers for reactivating agriculture, and in continuation of its climate-resilient efforts, the women's league has also requested members to take up skosh, passion fruit, and chop tears.

Millet is a hardy crop, said Lungharwoshi: "You can show it on any date and this is when blending local knowledge with modern technology will work because millet is a traditional crop known by farmers." She also appealed for the need for a more vigorous delivery system to prevent crops from rotting because of poor facilities.

Among the handful of recipients of the millet crop initiative led by the northern Ukhrul's climate department was K. Ngampam, 60, a farmer who grows a variety of vegetables and fruits on his farm. The program, which included the "Climate Change Fellowship" for state media, was to reach all farmers across the state.

Ngampam also raises pigs and fish as part of his farming activities.

Ngampam pointed out that he wished he had planted more millet because the interest level of the farmers was very low and the bird attacks had been widely reported. He feels that if most of the farmers participated, then the damage would have been reduced. With the problems above, he was surprised to harvest 20 tins of millet that he did not expect.

A researcher, conversant with these grains for cereals revealed that millets are small-sized grains annual cereals, although they can be cultivated in any season because of their being grass, yet thrive best when there are warm seasons. Millets are also termed "nutri-cereals," for they contribute a range of nutrients to the body working effectively.

Millet is a climate-smart cereal crop that germinates well under dry conditions. It requires very little water and soil compared to other common cereals such as rice, maize, and wheat. The crop is highly resistant to drought and can grow through extreme weather.  Often, millet is referred to as "smart food for the future" because it contains nutrients such as calcium, zinc, and iron. As well, millet has the lowest glycemic index when compared to other grains so it is a good candidate for diets.

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