Rising demand boosts millet cultivation

By Radhakrishna Dumre,Waling (Syangja), Nov. 11: With clear skies returning after weeks of continuous rainfall, farmers in Syangja have become busy harvesting millet. 

Over the past week, villagers across the district have been cutting, threshing, and safely storing their crops.

Recognised as one of Syangja’s major cereal crops, millet farming is gaining renewed popularity. With demand for millet steadily rising, local farmers have shown increasing interest in cultivating it, particularly in areas lacking irrigation facilities.

According to Ram Prasad Lamichhane, a farmer from Waling Municipality–5, millet is now being grown even on previously barren land. 

“Many of us have started using our unused fields for millet farming because it’s less water-dependent and market demand is good,” he said.

Farmers across the district report both an increase in cultivation area and improved yield this year. 

Last year, millet was cultivated on about 11,000 hectares, producing roughly 14,300 metric tonnes, according to the District Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Syangja.

This year, both the cultivated area and number of farmers involved have grown, and production is expected to rise accordingly, said Binod Hamal, chief of the Centre. 

“Proper use of technology and timely rainfall have helped boost productivity,” he said. 

To further promote millet cultivation and marketing, local governments and cooperatives have begun supporting farmers. The Waling Product Holding Multipurpose Cooperative has been working on seed preservation and commercialisation.

Chairperson of the cooperative, Yam Bahadur Gurung said, “We are promoting traditional millet farming and working to preserve local seed varieties. Our aim is to develop millet pocket areas for sustainable production.”

Local initiatives to promote millet products

Linking traditional crops like millet with modern technology could help build self-reliant farming systems and improve farmers’ incomes, experts say.

In a notable initiative, Phedi Khola Rural Municipality of Syangja has made millet-based food mandatory in schools and government offices. 

Under the school nutrition programme, millet snacks are served twice a week, while local institutions have also adopted policies prioritising millet dishes.

“The programme aims to promote local produce, improve students’ nutrition, raise farmers’ income, and strengthen community pride,” said Ghanshyam Subedi, chairman of the Rural Municipality.

He added that dishes such as momo and traditional food items like dhido, tawa roti, puwa, sel roti, millet chiura, haluwa, and soup will now be compulsorily included in school meal menus at least twice a week.

Celebrating Millet Day for first time

Farmers’ enthusiasm for millet has also grown after the celebration of National Millet Day for the first time on August 1 this year. 

According to the District Agriculture Knowledge Centre, the first National Millet Day 2025 helped raise awareness about millet conservation, production and marketing.