System of finger millet intensification

Abstract

Finger millet can tolerate harsh conditions and provides higher nutritional cereal than rice and wheat. It can grow in areas having water scarcity or in regions with a certain risk of failure of conventional crops. Finger millet cultivation has the potential to bridge the demand and supply of food grains in resource-poor areas and therefore, its production needs to be increased by various means such as the system of finger millet intensification (SFMI). SFMI follows the principles of system of rice intensification (SRI) and is traditionally practiced with different names like Guli ragi method in Karnataka. Although the research is very less in this regard, this method has already proved its potential to ensure vigorous growth and sustainable yield utilizing less/cost-effective resources. Still, its adoption by farmers is poor and needs strong policy, subsidies and other support from public, private organizations as well as strong extension services for the technology dissemination.