Millets

Rowan Agro Nature have developed a farmer's clusters in each District of Bijapur, Bagalkot and Gulbarga. They have also developed a working model with local NGO's and Group of progressive farmers. Farmers in the cluster, NGO group & progressive farmers will grow various types of Millets, cereal grains and pulses suitable for the respective lands under cultivation.

Rowan Agro Nature provide expert technical advises on Organic farming and  best farming practices to these farmers through their expert advisors from their panels. Rowan Agro Nature had conducted farmers meeting with the help of NGO (Vishala, Bijapur) and Department of Agriculture in BasavanaBagewadi, Mudhibihal and Bijapurtaluks.

Rowan Agro Nature in the last season provided good quality seeds of Millets like viz., Foxtail Millet(Navane), Small millets( Same), Kodomillets (Haraka), Chia and Quinoa seeds and they also provided technical support to the farmers in organic farming methods.

Millets can withstand climatic vagaries

• Climate resilient & highly adaptable; efficient biomass producers.
• Armoured with C4 photorespiratory physiology - thrive better under moisture stress.
• Photosensitivity also related to soil moisture.
• Hybrids yield 30-50% more than varieties.
• Have multiple uses in food (including health foods), feed, fodder (dry & green), and industrial raw materials (including bioethanol from sweet stalk sorghum).

India is the leading producer of millets too



Great millet (Jowar/ Sorghum)



Pearl millet (Bajra)



Finger millet (Ragi)



Italian millet (Foxtail)



Little millet (Samai)



Kodo millet (Varagu)



Proso millet (Panivaragu)



Barnyard millet (Sanwa)

Millets : Noble Grains & Food Crops of Arid, Tribal & Hill Areas



Sorghum



Pearl millet



Ragi



Barnyard millet



Kodo millet



Foxtail millet



Proso millet



Little millet

Millets make good contingency crops

Possible alternative crops and varieties in the event of natural calamities like drought & flood

• Small millets are short duration crops
• Proso millet is the earliest among small millets maturing in 60 – 70 days
• Foxtail, little and barnyard millets mature in 75 – 85 days
• Pearl millet and sorghum mature in 90-120 days
• Kodo and finger millets mature in 100- 130 days
 

Because of earliness, low water requirement and high drought tolerance - fit in contingency crop planning to mitigate drought. When favorable conditions return after alleviation of stress the small millets especially finger millet recuperate fast and grow luxuriantly.

Special characters of millets

• They grow during adverse soil & climate
• Mostly shorter in duration
• Some of them are suitable for contingency plan
• Proso & little mature in shorter duration, they provide food during lean months for tribal people
• Pearl millet – Sajje drought and heat resistant
• Sorghum – Jola Highly drought resistant, multi-purpose
• Finger millet – Ragi Highly tolerant to alkalinity, even > pH 11.0
• Foxtail millet - Navane Susceptible to both drought & water logging
• Kodo millet - Haaraka Highly drought resistant
• Little millet - Saame Highly drought resistant & tolerant to water logging
• Proso millet - Baragu Highly drought resistant
• Barn yard millet -Oodalu Highly drought resistant & tolerant to water logging