A study on perception of farmers towards millet cultivation in Parvathipuram Manyam district of Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

Millet is an important global food crop with a significant economic impact in developing countries. In hilly and tribal area, millets are major source of livelihood and are intensively cultivated by mostly resource-poor farmers for their food and income in the country. In India, millets have been consumed from time age- old, with symbolic importance, as they are sacred to the farmers. Millet cultivation plays a crucial role in enhancing food security and promoting sustainable agriculture through its climate-resilient nature and nutrient-rich composition, contributing to both environmental and human well-being. However, the cultivation of millet has witnessed a decline in recent decades due to a lack of awareness among farmers about its benefits and importance, resulting in a knowledge and information gap. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered with sample size of 120 to study the perception of farmers towards millet cultivation in Parvathipuram Manyam district of Andhra Pradesh. The results revealed that majority of the farmers had Majority (56.66%) of the farmers had medium perception towards millet cultivation. Lack of availability of good quality seed, Lack of processing units and less awareness were the major constraints faced by farmers.