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TRANSCRIPT
Investigating Farmers’ Choice of Pearl Millet Varieties in India
Dorene Asare-Marfo, Ekin Birol and Devesh Roy
STUDY AIM & DATA
To investigate:
1. Popular varieties of pearl millet currently cultivated,
2. Farmers’ demand for various production, consumption and marketing traits,
3. Farmers’ sources of pearl millet seeds and
4. Farmers’ sources of information about new varieties.
… to inform the design of targeted interventions that ensure maximum adoption of biofortified varieties.
Detailed farm household level data collected from
− 2069 farm households in Maharashtra, Oct – Dec 2009
− 2144 farm households in Rajasthan, Dec 2009 – March 2010
PEARL MILLET CULTIVATION
In Maharashtra
− 66% of households cultivated pearl millet in last Kharif
− 13% of households cultivated pearl millet in last Rabi
− 5% of Kharif producers saw multiple varieties
− Pearl millet producers have lower incomes than nonproducers
In Rajasthan
− 68% of households cultivated pearl millet in last Kharif
− 1% of households cultivated pearl millet in last Rabi
− 5% of Kharif producers saw multiple varieties
− Pearl millet producers have lower incomes than nonproducers
POPULAR VARIETIES
Rank MAHARASHTRA RAJASTHAN
1 Mahyco 204 Desi (local)
2 Pioneer 86M32 Pioneer 86M32
3 Mahyco 2210 Pioneer 86M52
4 Nirmal 9 Bayer Proagro 9444
5 Mahalaxmi 308 Eknath 301
6 Mahyco 167 Nandi 32
7 Dhanya 7870 HHB 67 Improved
8 ICTP 8203 HHB 67
9 Ganga Kaveri 1044 Guha MH 169
10 Nirmal 40 Nandi 52
Total area 82% 82%
Total % of farmers 81% 72%
MAIN USES OF PEARL MILLET
In Maharashtra a significantly larger proportion of output is sold compared to Rajasthan
In both states 20-30% of output is used for household consumption and similar proportion is used as feed
In general greater proportions of desi (local) and OPVs are consumed as food compared to hybrids
Detailed consumption data to be analysed soon
PREFERRED TRAITS
In both states yield and fodder yield are the most important production traits
In Maharashtra other important production traits are
− Resistance to smut and rust
In Rajasthan other important production traits are
− Earliness in maturity
In both states the most important consumption traits are roti colour and taste
In both states the most important processing and marketing trait is reliability of buyers and demand
SEED SOURCES
In Maharashtra
− farmers’ sources of seed are agri-input supplier (60%) agri-service centres (23%) and other farmers (11%)
− farmers have been growing their varieties for an average of 2 years
In Rajasthan
− farmers’ sources of seed are agri-input supplier (46%), own seed (35%), other farmers (18%) and agri-service center (2%)
− farmers have been growing their varieties for an average of 17 years for desi and 5 years for hybrid varieties
Agri-input shops and other sources of new varieties penetrated the seed market in Maharashtra more significantly
INFORMATION SOURCES
In Maharashtra farmers’ main sources of information are
− Other farmers – 71%
− Public extension – 20%
− Private extension – 7%
In Rajasthan farmers’ main sources of information are
− Other farmers – 97%
− Public extension – 2%
Social networks are important in both states
In Rajasthan very few farmers get information from outside the farmer “circle” and hence variety turnover is much less dynamic
CONCLUSIONS
Agro-ecological conditions and production traits
− Landraces suited to marginal environmental conditions in west Rajasthan
− OPV suited to scarcity zone in Maharashtra
Consumption and marketing traits
− Roti colour is very important consumption trait- benefits for invisible traits – future study
− Reliability of demand is very important – need to “market” high iron varieties well to ensure market demand
Detailed consumption data not yet analysed – future study
Since small proportion of pearl millet produce is consumed at home and we may need to provide other high iron staples to combat iron deficiency
CONCLUSIONS
Seed delivery
− In Maharashtra
• Seed markets are more developed than in Rajasthan
• Hybrid farmers are located closer to the markets
− In Rajasthan
• Majority of seeds obtained from farmers
• Landrace farmers are located further away from markets
Information about seed:
• In Maharashtra a third of farmers get information from public and private extension but in Rajasthan only 2% of farmers get information about seed from non-farmers
Overall, more intensive efforts required in Rajasthan than in
Maharashtra for adoption of biofortified varieties
DATA
Detailed farm household level data collected from
− 2069 farm households in Maharashtra, Oct – Dec 2009
− 2144 farm households in Rajasthan, Dec 2009 – March 2010
Sampling design
− Sampling frame – all blocks in the agro-ecological zones conducive to pearl millet production
− Used the most recent block level data on area under pearl millet production in the chosen zones
− Oversampled from blocks with higher total areas under pearl millet production
− Stratification of villages (4 – 6 villages)Random selection of households in each village (10 – 20 households)
MAHARASHTRA:
Blocks sampled for farm household surveyShare of agricultural land area
dedicated to pearl millet production
Sampled Blocks