KOCHI: The agriculture department has decided to expand millets cultivation to other places after the success of the project in Wayanad and Idukki along with Attappadi. Less land, no weather issues, less water, and low chance of pest infection are benefits of millets. With the United Nations celebrating 2023 as the International Year of Millets, the aim is to regain Kerala's dominance in this sector.

The project was jointly started by the Agriculture and Tribal Departments in 192 villages of Attappadi with the objectives of restoring the traditional agriculture of the tribals, providing regular income and solving the malnutrition issue. A subsidy of Rs 12,000 per hectare is being provided. Millets after farmers' use are collected at Rs 60 per kg. Each tribal family is allotted two acres of land for cultivation.

About 50 percent of the 1200 hectares under cultivation is ragi. Other millets are also cultivated on the land. Ragi is cultivated mostly because it is suited to the climate of Attappadi. In 2018-19, 516 metric ton was harvested from 485 hectares, and 583 metric ton from 520 hectares in the second year.

The farmers are provided support in each stage along with training. A processing unit and seed banks are also established.

Millet dishes include ragi halwa, ragi porridge, puttu, payasam, uppumavu, cutlet, idli, peda, dosa, laddu and many more.