Sustaining Viability of Informal Millet Seed Systems

The main purpose of alternative seed delivery system is to address the seed availability problems of smallholder farmers. Most of the community-based seed production models /schemes are initiated because farmers are concerned about the non-availability of quality seed at planting time. Many farmers don't have access to improved varieties; and wouldn't be able to afford them even if they were. So introduction of alternative seed systems models must impact farmers' access to seeds of improved varieties at affordable cost. The quality of seed produced by communitybased system or farmer seed systems is guaranteed only by its seller or village seed committee, because they are not processed and are uncertified seed. The seed so produced is low priced, and available at farmers' doorsteps at the right time, and provides access to all farmer groups in the village..

Presence of Panagrolaimus sp. (Nematoda: Panagrolaimidae) in seeds of pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke)

During routine phytosanitary examination of pearl millet seeds at the Plant Quarantine Unit of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi- Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India, we discovered a common soil nematode belonging to the genus Panagrolaimus inside seeds of some of the breeding lines. To date Panagrolaimus spp. have been reported as free living microphagous nematodes, occurring in soil and fresh water (Goodey, 1963), as dyssaprobes (Paramonov, 1962) occurring in roots, stems and leaves also in spikelets (Baranovskaya, 1958) and in rice grains (Panwar & Rao, 1977). Some are endoparasites of insects (Poinar, 1972; Poinar & . Geetha Bai, 1979). This is the first record of a seedborne nematode in pearl millet seeds which is significant in plant quarantine terms

Seed Systems for Rainfed Agriculture: Village Based Seed Enterprise for Seed Production and Dissemination of Improved Varieties of Chickpea and Pigeonpea in India; Information Bulletin No. 96

The crops grown under rainfed agriculture are described as farming practices that rely on rainfall for crop production and their seed systems describe, how farmers in these regions are sourcing seeds for cultivating these crops. The objective of this publication is to share information and experiences of some success stories of seed value chain models developed for production and supply of improved varieties of seed of rainfed crops to resource poor farmers in the semi-arid tropical regions to enhance productivity. Majority of legume crop varieties grown under rainfed agriculture system are open pollinated varieties or self-pollinated crops especially, cereals and legumes grown in semi-arid tropics of the globe. The importance of rainfed agriculture varies regionally but produces high percentage of food for poor communities in the developing countries. In sub-Saharan Africa more than 95% of the farmed land is rainfed, while the corresponding figure for Latin America is almost 90%, for South Asia it is about 60%, 65% for East Asia and 75% for the Near East and North Africa..

Making markets work for smallholder farmers

Sorghum and pearl millet are generally grown by resource poor farmers (owning less than 2 ha land) in semi-arid and marginal environments. Sorghum grain generally used as food, is also used as poultry and livestock feed, and for manufacturing alchohol and starch. In recent years, demand for non-food uses of sorghum is growing, the main constraint to industry being the lack of availability of sorghum in bulk quantities and assured supplies. Th

Impacts of the CFC-FAO-ICRISAT Livelihood Improvement Project in Asia Region I - India

This study was carried out to assess the impact of a CFC-FAO-ICRISAT project titled ‘Enhanced utilization of sorghum and pearl millet grain in the poultry feed industry to improve livelihoods of small-scale farmers in Asia’ executed by ICRISAT in collaboration with local partners and stakeholders. The project is being implemented in three countries of Asia: India, China and Thailand. This study covers region I, India, where the project is being executed in three clusters in the state of Maharashtra and two clusters in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The project mobilizes small-scale sorghum and pearl millet farmers with the aim of enhancing farm-level productivity and improving harvesting, storage handling and grain marketing practices. It also facilitates linkages between farmers on the one hand and seed and grain suppliers, credit agencies, poultry feed manufacturing companies and poultry producers on the other. The project provides infrastructure support to farmers by building warehouses in each cluster. The ultimate objective of the project is to increase farmers’ income by 10%-15% at the end of three years of project interventions

Impacts of the CFC-FAO-ICRISAT Livelihood Improvement Project in Asia Region I - India

This study was carried out to assess the impact of a CFC-FAO-ICRISAT project titled ‘Enhanced utilization of sorghum and pearl millet grain in the poultry feed industry to improve livelihoods of small-scale farmers in Asia’ executed by ICRISAT in collaboration with local partners and stakeholders. The project is being implemented in three countries of Asia: India, China and Thailand. This study covers region I, India, where the project is being executed in three clusters in the state of Maharashtra and two clusters in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The project mobilizes small-scale sorghum and pearl millet farmers with the aim of enhancing farm-level productivity and improving harvesting, storage handling and grain marketing practices. It also facilitates linkages between farmers on the one hand and seed and grain suppliers, credit agencies, poultry feed manufacturing companies and poultry producers on the other. The project provides infrastructure support to farmers by building warehouses in each cluster. The ultimate objective of the project is to increase farmers’ income by 10%-15% at the end of three years of project interventions

Enhanced Utilization Of Sorghum And Pearl Millet Grains In Poultry Feeds – An Indian Perspective

Sorghum and pearl millet are two important dry land crops that provide grain and fodder. India is the largest pearl millet producer and second largest producer of sorghum in the world. The productivity of these crops has been low due to various reasons such as unavailability of quality inputs to the farmers, lack of access to improved technologies for crop production, unavailability of credit on time, grain moulds, poor market linkages etc are some of the issues associated with these crops. There is large potential for using sorghum and pearl millet as an alternate to maize in poultry feed. Improving the grain quality by sorghum farmers and understanding the nutritive value of sorghum and pearl millet by poultry producers and feed manufacturers is essential in the promotion of these crops for alternate uses. . Chemical composition, nutritive value and utilization of sorghum and pearl millet for poultry reviewed. The grain nutritive value is comparable and even better with some of the improved cultivars than maize. Recently developed cultivars are low in tannins and grain moulds. Technology for prevention of grain moulds through harvest of the crop at physiological maturity and drying the ear-heads with driers and scientific storage methods have been proved to be the best practices that are demonstrated to the farmers for high grain quality and better market price. New alternative markets are emerging for sorghum and pearl millet grain uses. Sorghum and pearl millet are in the initial stages of entering the commercial chain in both livestock and poultry feed, and in production of alcohol, starch and other products. Experiments have also showed that maize can be replaced by sorghum harvested in rainy season even up to 100 percent, and that the use of rainy season-produced sorghum in poultry feed rations is more cost effective if sorghum is priced at 15 to 20 per cent discount compared to maiz

Building human capital of small scale farmers: a Coalition approach

Small and marginal farmers benefited from the coalition approach in accessing some of the resources such as technology, credit and markets. Improvement in their livelihood through enhanced production and higher margins in bulking, storing and selling their produce solely depended on the strength of collective action