International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Improved Agronomic Practices to Enhance the Productivity of Traditional Finger Millet Varieties (Eleusine Coracana L. Gaertn): Experiences from Eastern Ghats of Koraput District, Odisha

Low productivity and poor market realization are the major constraints faced by millet farmers across India. This necessitates the identification of best practices to raise productivity and income from millets. This article illustrates the improved farming methods adopted in finger millet cultivation for enhancing the productivity of three finger millet landraces. The demonstrations were carried out during the Kharif season in three villages, namely Machhara, Podheiguda, and Chapper, in Koraput district, Odisha, India, during 2018-19. Demonstrations on traditional finger millet varieties were carried out by the millet farmers with the objective to enhance the productivity through improved farming practices. The improved method applied in transplanting of seedlings with the right spacing and proper weed management. Demonstrations were recorded biometric parameters, organized farmers’ exposure visits, yield, and expenditure analysis in comparison with farmers’ practices. It is observed from the biometric data that the improved method resulted in higher yield in case of Bada mandia (1640kg/ha), Bati mandia (1470kg/ha) and Kurma bati (560kg/ha) compared to the yield of these varieties under farmers’ practices i.e. Bada mandia (880kg/ha), Bati mandia (910kg/ha) and Kurma bati (910kg/ha). The improved practices provided higher gross return and net return with a higher benefit-cost ratio against farmers' practices.