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| Guide to Value Addition and Branding for Millet Farmers |
Recently, Millets have emerged as a superfood not only for their high nutritional value and various health benefits, but also their ability to thrive under extreme weather conditions. In this scenario, millets offer a unique opportunity for farmers to not only improve their income through millet cultivation, value addition to millets and various branding strategies, but also contribute to sustainable nutrition. In this blog post, we explore some innovative methods of value addition and marketing of millets.
What is Millet? Why has millet become popular?
Millets are small-seeded grasses that are grown all over the world as grain, food and fodder. Due to their resistance to drought and their ability to thrive in less fertile soils, they are a particularly useful crop in arid and semi-arid regions. In addition, millets have a low carbon footprint due to their lower water requirements.
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| Why Millet has become Popular |
Millets are of great importance in agriculture due to their resilience and nutrient profile. Due to its nutrient profile, millets are an excellent source of nutrition. Millets are rich in fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals.
Read:What Factors Hinder the Adoption of Millet Practices?
Millet is an excellent choice for people with coeliac disease and gluten intolerance as it is gluten-free. If we are to find a sustainable food option, then millet is best suited to fit into this category, both from a consumer and farmer’s perspective.
What is Value Addition
In agriculture in particular, the term value added refers to any activity that increases the value of the product through primary and secondary processing. Processing can include various steps such as de-stoning, sorting and cleaning of freshly harvested millet grains.
Some advanced processing techniques such as hulling, polishing, puffing and flaking are also part of value addition. The main purpose of value addition is to improve the nutritional quality and marketability of millets.
Government Initiative towards Millet Value chain Addition
Recently, the Karnataka government has set up a millet value addition park at the University of Agriculture, Raichur, to help farmers. This is to sensitise farmers about millets production, value addition, branding and marketing.
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| Millet Value Chain Addition |
Potential of Value Addition
Processing technologies include soaking, germination, malting, dehulling, fermentation, milling and roasting. They are used to improve the nutritional quality of millets and reduce anti-nutritional factors. As millets are increasingly perceived as a functional food, there is an opportunity to develop high-quality, competitive millet-based products for the urban market.
Read:
Why Does India Focus on Rice, Wheat and Potatoes Instead of Millets
Opportunities for Value Addition in Millet Farming
1.Product Diversification
Product diversification means that you can diversify your product into different types of products. Here a farmer can diversify his product range of millets into items like noodles, millet flour, puffers, dosa batter and idli mix etc. By offering a variety of millets, farmers can learn the preferences and dietary needs of consumers, which can increase the value of the product and market demand.
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| Product Diversification |
2.Processing Techniques
After harvesting millets, farmers should emphasise the importance of processing millets directly on the farm to reduce transportation costs and increase their quality and shelf life. This initial processing includes cleaning, drying and sorting the grains, which can help maintain quality and reduce post-harvest losses.
Read:Why Should You Include Sprouted Millets in Your Diet
3.Quality seed Production
Encourages farmers to become seed entrepreneurs, which means they would produce and sell high-quality millet seeds. This can lead to better crop yields and quality, benefiting not just the seed producers but also other farmers who purchase the seeds.
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| Sustainable Agriculture |
4.Nutritional Enhancement
For nutritional enhancement farmers can fortify millet products with additional nutrients. Through nutritional enhancement farmers can cater to health- conscious consumers and also differentiate their products in the market.
5.Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs): Creating FPOs can help farmers get government support, improve bargaining power, and ensure a better market reach for their value-added products.
6.Organic Certification
As more and more people are hearing organic words lately, the demand for organic products on the market is increasing. Farmers can get organic certification for their millet products, which add significant value to the millet products and fetch a higher price.
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| Organic Millet Certificate |
Branding Opportunities for Millet Farmers
1.Building a Brand Identity
In today’s time when millets are getting more and more popular day by day, our government is also promoting millets on various platforms. Now farmers need to change their mindset towards agriculture.
They need to adopt the business model of farming where they create a distinctive brand for their millets that tells a compelling story.
The story could be about the nutritional benefits of millets, the traditional farming methods or the positive impact of millet farming on the environment, which can help the products stand out in the market.
2.Leveraging Social Media:
Utilising social media platforms and collaborating with food bloggers and vloggers can significantly increase the visibility of millet products. This can help in reaching a broader audience and attracting customers who are interested in healthy and sustainable food options.
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| Leveraging Social Media |
3.Educational Campaigns:
Running educational campaigns to educate consumers about the various health benefits of millets, such as their high nutritional content and gluten-free nature, as well as their role in sustainable agriculture, can help in boosting consumer interest and demand.
4.Packaging and Design:
With creative approach farmers investing in attractive and informative packaging can make millet products stand out on shelves and convey quality to consumers.
5.Retail and Distribution Networks:
Establishing an effective retail and distribution network is crucial for making millet products available to a wider audience. This could involve partnership with supermarkets, health food stores, or online marketplaces to ensure that consumers have easy access to these products.
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| Millet Retail and Distribution Network |
6.Online Presence
Creating a strong online presence using e-commerce websites helps you reach more customers and makes shopping easier for people who prefer digital platforms.
Conclusion
The rise of millets presents a golden opportunity for farmers to not only contribute to a healthier planet but also to improve their livelihoods through strategic value addition and branding. By embracing innovation and marketing, millet farmers can transform their traditional practices into profitable ventures that meet the demands of the modern consumer.
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