Boondi, 4 November – As part of Brick Sustainable Lifestyle Week, the Agriculture Department launched a special awareness drive to boost millet farming, highlighting the importance of pearl millet, sorghum and other coarse cereals
In the “Adopt Sustainable Food Systems” event held on Wednesday at the end of the week, the Agriculture Department gave priority to millet promotion, saying the initiative aims to preserve traditional crops, enhance agri‑biodiversity and offer climate‑smart farming options
Benefits of millet cultivation
Pearl millet and sorghum suit Rajasthan’s climate, require little water and can be grown on low‑fertility soils; they are less prone to pest and disease outbreaks, providing economic gains to farmers in rain‑fed areas
Millets are also nutritionally valuable, strengthening local food systems and encouraging crop diversification; the fodder derived from them supports livestock, giving mixed‑farmers an extra income source
Action steps for farmers
Under Sustainable Lifestyle Week, the department held millet farmer workshops at district agriculture‑supervisor headquarters and block offices, urging farmers to grow pearl millet, sorghum and similar crops according to their land, climate and irrigation resources
- Farmers can obtain suitable varieties, sowing times and crop‑management advice from their area’s agriculture supervisors or officials
- Choosing climate‑appropriate crops conserves water resources and reduces environmental pressure