Kezoma village revives millet farming

Produces 12,000–13,000 kg in Two YearsKohima, October 27 (MExN): Kezoma village in Nagaland’s Kohima district has gone from no millet cultivation to a production of 12,000-13,000 kg within two years, following a revival initiative launched in 2024 by the District Agriculture Office and the Kezoma Village Council, according to a report by the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR).Millet cultivation in the village had completely stopped for over a decade, leaving an entire generation of children with no knowledge of the traditional crop. The area under cultivation, which stood at zero hectares in 2024, has since expanded steadily.In 2026, the village recorded an average yield of 2,000-2,500 kg per hectare. The area under millet doubled this year compared with 2025, reflecting growing confidence among farmers in the crop’s economic potential.The DIPR report said the revival began with efforts to motivate farmers to resume cultivation. Through continuous mobilisation and awareness programmes highlighting millet’s nutritional and economic value, cultivation rose to one hectare in the first year.A key turning point was the District Agriculture Office’s provision of a millet mill, which reduced post-harvest labour drudgery by 80 per cent. Seeing the ease and speed of processing, more villagers took up the crop. Following this success, the office further assisted the village with a millet thresher and an additional mill.In 2025, Kezoma organised its first-ever Millet Festival, which served as a platform to celebrate and promote the crop among farmers and the wider community. About 4,000 kg of millet grain was showcased and marketed, with productivity of 20-25 quintals per hectare across two hectares. The sale of grain and value-added millet products fetched approximately Rs 13-14 lakh in a single day.The District Agriculture Office also introduced second-cropping of millet in 2025 on a small, experimental scale. Following a successful harvest, farmers were encouraged to take up a second crop within the same year. Around two hectares have been brought under the second millet crop this year, with the harvest expected by November.Under the Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) scheme, a sprinkler irrigation system was provided to address water shortages and support the second crop. This has enabled year-round cultivation and turned the field into a productive multi-crop system.The report said the village’s experience shows that millet can be a profitable and sustainable livelihood option when backed by technical guidance, mechanisation and market linkages. It added that sustained departmental support and better mechanisation have boosted farmers’ production and facilitated replication of the model in other villages.