Karnataka Farmers Turn to Millets to Revive Drought-Hit Lands

 

In the dry, drought-prone regions of Karnataka, thousands of farmers have turned to millets—reviving not just their lands but their livelihoods.

Faced with unpredictable rainfall, water scarcity, and crop failures, over 3,000 farmers across seven districts of Karnataka—Bagalkot, Ballari, Bidar, Chitradurga, Gadag, Kalaburagi, and Koppal—have embraced millets as a climate-smart solution. Thanks to this shift, they are now seeing better harvests, improved incomes, and sustainable farming practices taking root.

This agricultural turnaround was made possible through the SMART Millet project (Science-based Mission for Accelerating Resilient Techniques), supported by ICRISAT and Karnataka State Department of Agriculture. The initiative encouraged farmers to grow drought-tolerant millets such as finger millet (ragi), little millet, and foxtail millet, which require far less water compared to traditional crops.

The impact has been significant. Farmers reported higher yields, lower input costs, and greater resilience to climate change. Incomes have improved, and the return to traditional grains is also helping improve community nutrition.

Women farmers, in particular, have played a vital role in this movement—engaging in millet cultivation, processing, and even marketing value-added products.

Experts say that millet farming is not only reviving degraded land but also reviving hope among rural communities. As global attention shifts toward sustainable food systems, Karnataka’s millet success story is becoming a model worth replicating.

 

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