Popularization of Ragi millet through Frontline demonstration in district Gonda, Uttar Pradesh

Abstract:

Field-level extension trials serve as an effective vehicle for agricultural technology transfer, as demonstrated by a two-year study conducted during the Kharif 2022 and 2023 seasons across 5.0 hectares involving 50 growers under the guidance of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Mankapur, Gonda (Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya). Designed to bridge the yield gap and enhance net farm income, the study evaluated finger millet (Eleusine coracana, locally termed madua or ragi) a climate-resilient staple ranking sixth in Indian cereal production behind rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, and pearl millet, with primary cultivation concentrated across Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Maharashtra. Revered for its exceptional dietary profile, the grain provides 320 kcal, 67.0 g carbohydrates, 7.16 g protein, 1.92 g fat, 210 mg phosphorus, 146 mg magnesium, 2.50 mg zinc, and an outstanding 364 mg of calcium per 100 g, establishing it as a staple for weaning foods and therapeutic diets addressing degenerative joint conditions. While both regimes received an identical synthetic fertilizer application of 40:40:0 kg/ha N:P:K, the demonstration package introduced the high-yielding variety 'VL 376' paired with a phosphate-solubilizing bacterial (PSB) seed inoculant, contrasting with the uninoculated local landraces planted under conventional farmer practices; this intervention led to marked economic gains, delivering net returns of ₹66,683 per hectare and a benefit-cost ratio of 2.69, well above the ₹47,273 per hectare and 2.21 B:C ratio achieved through traditional management.