The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Global funding for millets research

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Tuesday, Apr 15, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Global funding for millets research

Correspondent

Five nations, including three African and India, are getting the funds

VIZIANAGARAM: Germany is funding for sustainable conservation and utilization of genetic resources for millets (ragi and korra).

The funding for research is for three years. Five nations, including three African and India, are getting the funds.

In India, Dholi in Bihar, Mandya in Karnataka, Vizianagaram, Nandyal and ICRISAT, Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh are getting international assistance for research in millets, according to N.D.R.K. Sarma, Senior Scientist, District Farm Advisory and Transfer of Technology Centre (DFATTC), here on Sunday.

Objective

He told a press conference that the objective of funding is for wide diversity in gene plasma collected from 144 countries and prepare farmers directly so that they could select their own variety and cultivate.

He said that the centre had recently released Bharati and it had gone down well with farmers.

This variety was being raised in over 40 per cent of the area in north coastal districts, he said and added that one more variety VR-847 developed was ready for release shortly. The yield per acre is expected to be 14 to 15 quintals.

For the first time in the State, Dr. Sarma said that white ragi (VRW-936 and 942) was developed and distributed to farmers under mini kit programme.

After field verification these varieties would be released in two years, he added. Promotion of millets help food security and supply nutritious food to families below poverty line, he felt.

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