Indigenous millet soon to become a lost crop in Sindh

HYDERABAD: Despite its value in terms of high nutrients, pearl millet is losing its importance in Sindh with farmers shifting their hands to more profitable crops including guar and mung beans.

Farmers in canal areas have started sparing small pieces of family land to cultivate new hybrid varieties of pearl millet on commercial basis, as it has high demand for feeding poultry and animals. They are cultivating millet after a long time, but the variety is not suitable for human consumption.

There are three millet hybrids varieties, which are being used for commercial cultivation, replacing the indigenous seed varieties.

Traditional millet producers have moved to growing it for poultry and animal feed, despite the fact that hybrid varieties require more water, which is not easily available in the province.

Some people believe that this food crop is no more profitable, compared to guar, mung bean and other crops.

Thar is the only area where most farmers prefer to produce organic millet. They have been preserving the indigenous seed varieties for generations. Desert farmers expect two-three heavy rain showers in the month of June to cultivate this precious food crop (pearl millet). In case of delay in rainfall till late July and August, they cultivate millet as fodder for animals.

It is because the plants do not flower and thus there is no grain.

The scattered showers last month, encouraged only a few farmers to cultivate millet on their land, which was later damaged because of the heat wave, strong winds, and delay in the next spell of rain.

However, even in Thar, some farmers are switching to growing guar, moth bean and mung bean.

They consider guar more productive commercially compared to pearl millet.

Muhammad Sadiq, a small scale farmer from Kaloi, Tharparkar district, sharing his experiences said they had experimentally cultivated hybrid varieties of pearl millet previously, which gave 30-40 maund yield per acre. But they have observed that the new varieties of millet crop require more water and chemical input, which weakens the land and the next crop after it neither germinates nor gives proper yield.

Thus, they prefer to cultivate alternative crops other than pearl millet, more preferably cash crops like guar.

Sadique said soil is losing its fertility because of changing pattern of water usage for crops. Previously irrigation water channels used to bring silt, which contributed to maintain land fertility.

Now the farmers have established wide makeshift water ponds for storing water to avoid any uncertainty of water shortage. Therefore, silt comes to the ponds directly and does not benefit the land, which produces crops, he added.

Similarly, many farmers have installed electricity and solar-powered tube wells whose water is not beneficial for the land or crops. These changes in water usage itself have altered soil fertility, which impacts crop productivity.

Previously, pearl millet was grown as a sole crop, but now farmers are practicing the intercropping method with sesame, mung bean, melon, apple gourd and other crops.

Elderly farmers said that in the past, when indigenous seeds varieties were available, people used to cultivate pearl millet fondly for their own consumption throughout the year. They claimed that the indigenous varieties did not suffer from diseases and the plants did not weaken to impact productivity, unlike the hybrid varieties.

Indigenous millet used to give 10-15 maund per acre, which the farmers believe was important for maintaining their health.

It has been an old practice among farmers in the southern parts of Sindh to cultivate pearl millet for domestic consumption, preferably during winter.

Altaf Mahesar, leading a farmers’ network in Dadu district for conservation of indigenous seed varieties and promoting organic crops, recalling the recent past said traditionally millet plays a vital role in supplementing wheat and rice supplies, which are being neglected despite the looming threat of climate change.

He said that with the changing scenario in the country, and rising threats to food security, the government should make growing pearl millet a priority. “Government should offer incentives to farmers so they can grow pearl millet,” he suggested.

Traditional millet crop consumes less water compared to hybrid varieties, and survives in drought conditions. “Thus, its cultivation must be promoted through preserving original seeds, keeping in mind the need of consumption for the growing human population,” Mahesar added.

Presently, wheat grains are used in poultry feed because its price is Rs50 per kg compared to pearl millet, which is either not available or is being sold at Rs70-80/kg.

Reports from the other arid zones like Kachho and Kohistan show that farmers cultivate sorghum and guar. However, sorghum itself is losing priority, despite the fact that it is also an important food grain.

Farmers in Sanghar, Khairpur and other northern parts of the province have almost lost this crop over the last many years. Now only a few farmers cultivate it to use as fodder instead of food.